


Drifting by yourself

by Idontwannahittheground



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-23
Updated: 2017-11-23
Packaged: 2019-02-06 02:48:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 35,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12807987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Idontwannahittheground/pseuds/Idontwannahittheground
Summary: Here’s the situation, La’gaan has been royally dumped. An excellent time to binge watch a little mermaid also featuring a red head who is dying to know the real world and maybe not the best choice but Lagoon boy has never actually made the best choices... like ever





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter 1: Lost  
> Disclaimer I own nothing, you hear me? Nothing! sobs Nothing

La'gaan never had many friends. Not that he wasn't liked but, it's different than having a close friend. The other members of his small squad respected him but Robin never really hung out with anyone and when he did he was always standing near Nightwing. And as for Bluebeetle. He was a strange fish, a very strange fish. And as Impulse was almost always with him the combination of the two together made La'gaan nearly give up on the human race as a species.  
Seriously Impulse had… Impulse problems and Blue was always talking himself out of what sounded like mass murder, thanks but no thanks, just because I don't have friends doesn't mean I'm desperate. Beastboy was nice but since him and M'gann broke up the boy had grown distant not like I can blame him for that. Thinking of the martian girl who had nearly broke him, was not on his feel good again agenda. La'gaan had always known he was the fallback guy, but he had hoped that she would at least like him a little, he really did love M'gann still did, and now every hope he had that she might see him as something more, shattered like his heart.  
And all of M'gann's friends seemed to think that it had to be La'gaans fault they were breaking up and avoided him, or worse pitied him shaking their heads when they thought he wasn't looking whispering about how awful it was, and that La'gaan should have seen it coming but he was just the fallback guy as if that was the definition of his life.  
Fallback boyfriend, fallback Atlantean, fallback member.  
So thats why La'gaan was slumped on the couch with nothing to do but watch movie classics about teenage mermaids that wanted to join the surface world.  
La'gaan was really hoping she failed, so she would never know that the surface really was worse than anything the sea could possibly put you thru. The sea just ate you whole, the surface crushed your spirit and then left you alive to watch you suffer.  
La'gaan continued muttering to himself about red heads and talking fish oblivious to the fact he was no longer alone. Wolf had wandered into the room his Kryptonian master was upset and so was locked in the training room, but his grunts as he pounded away his anger didn't hurt his ears like the young atlanteans whining, that pitch grated the super mutts ears in exactly the wrong way.  
It stared at La'gaan with open dislike. After all the his master never liked the strange child either, and he smelled like a dying fish, so Wolf had avoided him never doing more than brushing him off and occasionally "Pretending" that he wanted to hurt the teen…every now and again.  
But it was obvious under that scowl he was wearing that fish man was hurting, and wolf didn't like that. And Wolf was technically a hero with a job to help people, he winced in annoyance at another screeching whine, Sheesh enough with the teenage melodrama teenagers shouldn't be superheroes period.  
Wolf was a lot smarter than most people gave him credit for. And out of everyone in the base he was the only one who hadn't been surprised when M'gann went from Kryptonian to Atlantean only a week after her break up.  
He was also the only one who new why the Atlantean had said yes willingly throwing himself into a love triangle he knew he had no hope of winning.  
Loneliness, he was alone on the team the other members had some kind of common ground or easy friendship with people in and out of the team but La'gaan was just awkward with everyone.  
His personality was absolutely the worst thing if you wanted friends, he was driven, honest, and harsh.  
His driven nature isolated himself, and his honesty coupled with his harsh tounge and thick head, well he was a recipe for social disaster.  
He needed someone to be with him like M'gann had been, a friend.  
And so with great reluctance to the smell wolf padded over to the teen who was so intent on his show (Even though he had seen it 100 times already) he didn't see the wolf until his vision was blocked by the fuzzy man eater.  
His tounge rolled out of his mouth and his tail thumping against him as the wolf leaped into his lap. La'gaan let out a very unmanly shriek. And without a conscience thought sent wolf flying into the television set. A normal wolf might have had it's head bashed in by this, but Wolf was in no way ordinary and just smashed the television set and the wall the once "crash" flat screen had been on.  
Wolf rose from the TV's ashes and fixed La'gaan with a death glare that almost rivaled the fabled bat glare. Almost. But it was enough to make the teen squirm and fear for his life.  
'The things I put up with around here.' Wolf rolled it's eyes before stalking off with an annoyed huff.  
La'gaan warily watched the door, he had been absolutely positive that a certain half-kryptonian had trained that thing to hate him and it could cause some serious damage when it wanted to, after making absolutely sure that Wolf wasn't going to try and eat him, he sat back on the couch, crossing his legs so there was nothing hanging to be bitten off, just in case it came back. He stared at the shattered television set for about five solid seconds, before slamming his hands on the couch.  
"Neptunes Beard! I fear nothing." The Atlantean raced after Wolf very determined to prove that he was not afraid of a mangy animal.  
He wasn't entirely sure how this was going to happen, ( Seeing as Wolf scared him shitless) but he figured the details could come later.  
Wolf heard him coming, right before the smell hit him. He gave an involuntary shudder, at the stench, before turning to face the door silently waiting for a teen the wolf now dubbed Idiot.  
As Idiot burst thru the door his cocky grin faded instantly upon seeing that Wolf was licking it's lips and very obviously salivating on the carpet, he began to worry about the details and his future on the team. Slamming his feet into a backpedal motion in an attempt to turn around, his legs tangled together and he went face down stopping just in front of the beast.  
"Neptunes beard."  
Wolf gave a happy huff, the idiot looked good on the floor, but as he muttered expletives under his breath he began to remind him of his master, that was always good in Wolf's opinion. He let his tounge loll out of his mouth before giving the Idiot a lazy lick, and despite his smell he didn't taste so bad.  
Definitely better than the green kid. Maybe the bad smelling idiot wasn't so bad, besides Wolf wasn't doing anything and Master wasn't around, and the Idiot was around so maybe they could play till Master got back. And as Wolf had the same jump to it / really bad decision skills of his clone master, he decided that now Idiot was a friend and they were going to play catch.  
And if his new friend tried to slip away, a few seconds of growling and a death glare always got him back in the game. Wolf liked his new friend there was definitely more to him than the bad smell.  
Something he couldn't quite place, hanging in the air around him. Wolf shook his head as he lost the scent, padding over to the Atlantean he dropped a ball at his feet and did his best  
'dumb dog want you throw ball routine.'  
Why, because he really wanted him to throw that ball already and anything else might be too complicated for him to understand.

Connor's POV  
I pounded another helpless gym bag into the wall, Wondergirl immediately dropped another sand bag in front of me, quickly moving to another bag ready to throw it into position.  
Don't think, don't question, just keep moving. This was supposed to be a good day, no assignments, no invasion force hellbent on galactic domination, a good day. Right up until M'gann had popped up and wanted to talk, that should have been my sign to walk away and enjoy myself. Why didn't I just walk away?  
Connor slammed the last bag in the gym into the concrete, still failing to block out M'gann's pleading voice, "I'm sorry you were right," I sent another punch straight thru a piece of training equipment. Still angry, still betrayed, my vision went red, and I started tearing into everything I could get my hands on.  
Cassie was frowning at the pile of carnage that was once training equipment, she hadn't been the teens friend for long but she knew him. She knew when he wanted company, when he wanted to be alone and when he needed to pound something. She also knew that this time pounding things wouldn't be enough, a trip was in order, to clear your head, take sphere and wolf, go to some deserted island and relax or pound the island flat. Either way, you wont end up tearing down the mountain... or someone in it.  
She tried to smile at him but his face was twisted as he fought his inner demons he looked like he wanted an excuse to hurt anyone and anything.  
You have to understand what Cassie already knew for a fact. Conner had not taken M'gann betraying him as well as everyone thought he had. And no one thought he had taking their separation well. She was his control she was his everything a constant since his first memories, and then she betrays him and moves on.  
He tried to understand her, to figure out how she was not in the wrong like she insisted. But nothing ever made sense, in the end he had come to terms with it. He had let her go he let La'gaan have her. And only a week after that, she finally decides to tell him, that all this time he was right. That every time she insisted what she was doing wasn't wrong she had been lying, desperate to repair what she had destroyed. And to fix it she was going to send La'gaan thru the grinder the same way she had sent him.  
Conner just grunted as Cassie tried to talk to him. He sat on a bench staring at the wall, slowly going back over his memory's with M'gann.  
What he needed was space to think, Cassie's suggestion to slip away for a remote vacation was a really good idea, it had worked for him in the past, and he had a small island, well he knew were a small island was that no one else knew about, it was pretty much the same thing, and to go there for a few days would do anyone a world of good.

Outside the training room Sphere was waiting for him like usual giving a soft trill as he walked by, but Wolf wasn't there, the teen gave a tight frown.  
Usually Wolf and Sphere stayed nearby when he was in a bad mood, not close enough to be caught in the crossfire but there if he needed them, and the clone really didn't want to go around looking for him, right now he mostly wanted to avoid everyone, particularly M'gann.  
The clone was still angry with her, right when he had finally been about to move on she had to pop back up.  
Thought's about M'gann and relationship and feelings burning in the back of his throat. There was a time Conner had sat down at Wally’s insistence to create a list of girls he could date and Conner had humored with a few names of girls he knew didn’t mind his stilted more one sided conversation skills.  
(Although he didn't actually have any one in mind he wanted to date their had only ever been M'gann. But it wouldn't be a bad thing to date someone who was not her. But no one he met made him feel the way he did with her, he was beginning to worry that maybe he couldn't fall in love with anyone else.)  
He shook the thought's out of his head and gave a low whistle, if Wolf was in the same state he would hear him. Then they could get out of here before I really do tear the mountain down.  
Only a few moments later, he could hear Wolfs paws pounding down the hallway, and much to Cassie's relief gave a genuine smile. Which quickly disappeared when Wolf arrived with a much hated Atlantean in tow. Jealousy was never an emotion Connor had much experience with, even with M'gann her betrayal and attempt at mind wiping hurt more than seeing her with La'gaan ever did.  
Okay so he may have been a little jealous of them together, but nothing could have prepared him for the wave of it he experienced at seeing Wolf actually happy to have that Fish man around.  
Wolf was excited for no other reason than his Master wasn't angry anymore. And while he was busy breaking things Wolf had found him a prime candidate for best friendship. In other words Wolf was pleased as punch in himself, and he was sure his master would be too.  
He kept running between his Master and his new friend the Idiot, Wolf was very certain they could all get along despite the smell, they had too much in common not too.  
Connor scowled at the Atlantean teen before attempting to leave with his band of misfits, but Wolf had another idea.  
Why not let him come with us!  
So as Connor and La'gaan both spun around to leave fully intending to continue hating the other from afar, Wolf ran and leaped at the smaller teen fixing him with a glare as the dog attempted to manhandled him after the other teen.

La'gaan POV  
"Get your stupid mutt off of me." La'gaan screamed.  
Unfortunately for the teen it sound much more like girly shrieking than a commanding order like he had hoped it would. Also unfortunately the Boy of Steel never liked having people call Wolf stupid, normally he might have been able to brush it off, but he was already in a bad mood and he already wanted an excuse to hurt anybody.  
The Atlantean was thrown into the nearest wall and before his brain could catch up with him he felt a pair of hands go around his neck. All he could see was the dark holes of the clones eyes.  
They were filled with fury, but his eyes also held passion, a warmth, or maybe he was finally getting heat vision.  
He felt his feet get lifted off the ground. Despite the situation La'gaan found himself annoyed that Conner was taller than him and even with the lift he still had to look slightly up at him.  
He was never really able to just stare into his eyes before, he realized that he rather liked them.  
Dark but not empty kind of like the sea that La’gaan wished more and more he had never left.  
The smaller teen also recognized the feel of the Boy of steel's breath on his chest, he felt very aware of every place the other teen touched him.  
Instead of fighting the Superteen off his mind started racing, trying to figure out why he really didn't mind the invasion of privacy. Especially considering he didn’t like Conner too much to begin with.  
"What are you doing!?" The voice was blurry almost like someone was talking under water, it sounded like Cassie.  
He always got so close to Connor whenever they fought. Leaving only a few inches between their faces.  
The hands around his neck tightened as Cassie tried to pull off the stronger teen, and somehow the Atlantean at this point was idly wondering if Connor kissed as passionately as he fought, he had a perfectly kissable mouth.  
He watched as Cassie continued trying to pry the fingers from around his neck, and he wondered if he should help her, against Conner he had about 6 ways to get out of this situation. But maybe if he was lucky Conner would just end his current living trouble, and then he could go rot in some distant prison forever. Not a completely bad way to go out if it got rid of Conner.  
His body felt hot and flushed where Connor was pressed against his chest. Maybe Kryptonians were hotter than other species, La'gaan felt his face flush as his otherwise confused mind immediately went to town with that thought. And at this point he finally seemed to realize what the hell he had been thinking about.  
Connor was staring at him still wanting to kill him but confused when he just stood there with a wacky grin on his face. La'gaan realized that this hadn't been anywhere near enough for him to pass out, yet he couldn't seem to breath in his fuzzed out brain he remembered that on the satellite mission Connor had worn Superman's tights, the small pair because the regular was too tall for him that image was dancing along with black spots in his vision and his whacked out grin got bigger.  
It has to be a lack of air, it's making my mind go crazy. I can't seriously be attracted to that.  
He forced himself to look at every detail of his face, pushing past the black spots that began to color his vision. And no matter how he tried to cut it the Kryptonian was handsome. A trait he gained from Superman no doubt.  
As if the universe wanted these wrong thoughts to end as badly as he wanted to understand them.  
Wondergirl finally pried the fingers loose from his throat and he collapsed to the ground, head swimming with to many sinfully delicious thoughts to worry about standing. As Cassie immediately checked on him not even sparing Connor her I'm disappointed in you look she had mastered from Wonder Woman, the superteen left without sparring a glance, incredibly confused at La'gaan's lack of self defense while Sphere whistled angrily at the teens temper, Wolf feeling this was his fault slinked after him quietly glancing a look back at his new friend before deciding to visit him later.  
La'gaan was functioning solely on auto pilot as he assured Cassie he was fine, but even after she left the teen stayed in the corner Connor had dropped him in, as if that could help him remember his face, exactly the way it had been. Pissed off and very sexy.   
This wasn't the first time he had been attracted to a guy, although his fascination of Kaldur usually stayed strictly in the realms of hero worship, to be with another male in Atlantis while not totally illegal thanks to there King (who had laughed before razing the law and everyone who disagreed with him) it was still frowned upon. And La’gaan has enough working against him to stir the pot any further. But he had allowed himself to entertain a few fantasies. But they usually stayed in their place, buried very VERY deep in his head, feelings contained safely.  
What he had felt just know with Connor was much more… it wasn't contained.  
La'gaan let his head sink onto his knees when he realized he couldn't pin it down to a light crush or a lack of air."Shit".  
Although the fact that M'gann dumped him didn't seem so bad anymore. 

Cassie's POV  
"What the hell were you thinking!?" Cassie almost screeched in Conners ear.  
"Did you want to kill him! Please don't say yes."  
"..."  
"You could get suspended off the team moron, you could have seriously hurt him."  
"... He could have fought me off... not like he hasn't done it before." It was a lame way to avoid blame and even he knew it.  
"Not the point, do you think Sup..." Connor winced clearly showing he knew what she had stopped herself from saying.  
She gave a low sigh, doing a quick relaxation technique that Wonder Woman had taught her. Before she tried again,  
"Hero's don't strangle people Connor, you need to apologize, make amends don't break arms."  
"Do you think La'gaan is sick?"  
"Don't change the subject, we need to talk about the fact that you strangled a team member... Again."  
He frowned, "The first time doesn't count."  
"Actually it does... don't even get me started on how much it counts Conner."  
She watched as he began mentally tuning her out preparing for her to start ranting. Word to the wise nothing will make a woman of any age more upset than ignoring her while you pretend to listen, if your in the habit of doing that don't get caught.  
Cassie stopped moving down the corridor, her face frozen. "Hey Cassie you okay?"  
She stared at him for a few seconds before she said anything, just to make sure that she had his attention.  
"You need to apologize, before you go, in fact go find him, right now."  
"... Okay." He gave a deep sigh and turned around heading back up the hallway.  
Despite the short amount of time that they had spent together she really did know him, she knew for instance that he wouldn't apologize.  
She sat in front of Sphere waiting for him to try and sneak back, she only had to wait about ten minutes before he was sneaking back into the room.  
"Apologize to him right now or I will tie you up and hang you from the monitor."  
Conner kicked the door as he left with a scowl looking every bit the moody teenager he wasn't, muttering things under his breath.  
Despite the fact that she was now certain that he would go and find La'gaan she wasn't sure if he would be apologetic, or if he would go for round two.  
So she decided to spy on him, using all the training Barbara had given her about stealth to stay out of his sight. It became clear after a while that he was avoiding all the places where he could actually expect to find the Atlantean, and instead was wandering in circles thru out the base. Every few rounds he would linger by the hanger bay before he would force himself back into a wandering pattern.  
Until eventually she followed him back to where he had tried to strangle La'gaan. He walked and sat down against the wall, letting out a tired sigh.  
"What's wrong with you chum?"  
Cassie gave a start nearly revealing her hiding place when La'gaan's voice seemingly came out of nowhere. But after a few seconds she noticed his arms wrapped around Some of the training equipment clearly having been bearing up the bags Conner left behind.  
She watched as Conner took a deep breath.  
"I came to apologize for what I did." He sounded clipped as if he wanted to get it over with. She wasn't the only one to notice, as the Atlantean gave a dry laugh.  
"I'm not going to tell anyone what you did, no need to worry about it."  
"I'm not apologizing to try and avoid a punishment, I apologize when I do something wrong to someone who doesn't deserve it."  
Cassie gave a breath of relief from her hiding place near the door, that sounded much better.  
"So I'm sorry."  
The Atlantean regarded him from the shadows his red eyes burning in the dark,  
"I.. I believe you. Thank you."  
Conner gave a shrug, "It's no big deal I've just been in a bad mood lately and took it out on you."  
The Atlantean snorted, "You in a bad mood. Why? You have everything."  
The Atlantean shrugged off Conners attempt at talking as he continued.  
"You got the girl, saved the world, and have the dad of every kids dreams, your a handsome guy with an unlimited future potential. Who's been invited to join the Justice League twice already, and then you just turn them down. What is there for you to be upset about? Is your life too perfect? Because I will gladly trade." The Atlantean's voice had grown bitter as he talked his eyes locking on to something only he could see.  
Cassie held her breath, this was like a tv drama but better.  
"When I first got here, Superman didn't want anything to do with me, they had me take tests after every mission to guarantee that my mind wasn't melting because something had gone wrong with my cloning process, M'gann was nice to me from the beginning and we started dating then she... Did things I didn't agree with. So I ended it and she started dating you within a week."  
Unlike the Atlantean his voice was dead of any emotion as he talked, his eyes staring blankly ahead, as he continued.  
"Spending time with Superman is still awkward, M'gann hasn't changed from the person she was, and I don't get older so I have to move every few years so noone catches on. And I have... a lot of reasons to be upset."  
The Atlantean stared at him for a few seconds before he reached out and put a hand over Conner's knee.  
"I'm sorry."  
Cassie watched them for a while longer as they began talking about pointless things, dumb guy stuff like  
“Oh you punch training bags too.”   
“Yep....”  
“Cool.”  
before the guilt of spying forced her to slip away.  
She had always prided herself on her ability to understand and empathize with others, understanding emotions came naturally to her, but what she thought she saw just then she couldn't have just seen.  
And I don't mean the talking she had seen, but the emotions that ran underneath it all, they were telling her something she never would have guessed.  
Something about the way La'gaan had looked at him.  
But the fact remained that she had seen it she was absolutely certain of it.  
As soon as she turned the corner Cassie whipped out her cellphone. Barbara was so going to love this.


	2. Still Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now we just need to get Conner on board.

Chapter 2: Still lost

Barbara otherwise known as Batgirl was jumping up and down on Cassie's bed her face set in a very uncharacteristic smile.  
"What happened next? Did they kiss? Please tell me they kissed."  
Cassie shook her head.  
"Nope, after that Conner left on sphere and La'gaan won't talk to me about it."  
Barbara frowned,  
"But it's obvious they like each other right?" Barbara asked.  
"They do like eachother and when you think about it they have alot in common. But I'm not entirely sure they you know like each other."  
Cassie replied, she really wanted to think that there was a clandestine romance going on between the two, especially since for all there bumps Conner and M’gaan were the only two members currently having a dramatic relationship crisis and gossip was hard to find seeing as Miss Martian had stayed largely away from explaining what happened but it was a lot of speculation no matter how you looked at it. It just wasn't likely in the slightest that anything was or would ever be going on between the two of them. And Barbara was taking this way too seriously.

"I don’t know if they, “Like like eachother, what are you five?" The red head scoffed.  
Cassie frowned and began playing with her hair.  
"I agree with Cassie, I mean they could end up being best friends. Or they could end up dating, relationships aren't a science that can be predicted like the weather. At the end of the day you just don't know."  
Both girls looked up as Zatanna was talking, she was sitting cross legged on the edge of the bed, idly flipping thru a magazine as she spoke.  
Cassie gave a thoughtful nod and a grateful smile, while Barbara snorted.  
"Of course you think love is all magical. Love can't be predicted but it can be created, all you need to do is set the right mood." The red head challenged.  
Zatanna rolled her eyes as Barbara began pulling equipment off her belt, which she hadn't been wearing when she came in, or five seconds ago for that matter.  
"Give me a few hours for a plan and believe me, you can say goodbye to SuperMartian and hello to SuperLagoon."  
"What?" Cassie and Zatanna both asked at the same time.  
Barbara waved them off as she began drawing on a miniature pad, already miles away as she did what she did best.  
"I'm gonna need your help for this to work." She said barely wasting the time to look up from her fledgling master piece.  
Zatanna immediately replied with a "Absolutely not, do you remember the time when you tried to 'set the stage' for Robin and Flash."  
Even Batgirl winced as she remembered that 'incident.' Before she shrugged it off and returned to her planning.  
"That was just one time, and I've learned since then, when your dealing with two guys you have to be less subtle than we were the first time."  
"You hired a marching band."  
Batgirls eyebrow gave an involuntary twitch.  
"I don't need your help, I'll just have Cassie help me."  
"She's not going to help you, right Cassie."  
Cassie looked between the two furious girls. "Weeeeell."  
"You can't seriously be considering this. Don't you remember the incident." Zatanna challenged.  
"I wasn't here when whatever happened... happened. And you didn't see them when they were together like that, their may be something actually there."  
Barbara gave a cheer as Cassie finished and with a smug grin returned to her work. But this was far from over Zatanna leaned over and told her exactly what happened that fateful day.  
Cassie went from pink to red to white and then started over from the beginning as every gory detail was given. At the end of her story Cassie was sobbing into her pillow while Barbara and Zatanna gave her tissues to wipe her tears.  
"Bar-sob-bara sob, what's sob wrong with you." Cassie asked thru her tears.  
She seriously thought about the question for a while until she came up with a good answer. "I grew up in Gotham."  
Zatanna regretfully shook her head in pity as Cassie's sob's grew louder.  
In the end the only way too calm her down was for Barbara to promise not to intervene.  
"Fine, we don't do anything until we know more. But if they really should be dating, you leave them to me got it. Yes, leave them to me." The key to surviving Gotham City and staying sane, was to allow yourself a few moments of potentially psychotic behavior.

La'gaan POV  
La'gaan nervously paced back and forth in his room, his mind a complete wreck.  
I can't like him, I can't like him.  
I don't like him, what would Aquaman say?  
I can't like him.  
It had been two days since the Kryptonian that was causing his misery left on 'vacation.' And he had barely been gone an hour before he had set out to prove that any feelings he may have for him were well under control.  
And after two days of training, bad cooking, and rigorous self denial practice. He had almost convinced himself that it was a lack of air combined with his emotional turmoil that had caused him to feel things he never would feel on a level his feeling shouldn't be.  
And he was happy, surprisingly. He had proved he was master of his own emotions king of his own domain what's not to like.  
And then this morning he overheard Nightwing say that Conner was coming back today, that news which shouldn't have changed anything in any way.  
Had sent him to his room where he was now pacing madly and cursing every thought that had anything to do with him. He felt a knife in his belly, and a giddy impatient excitement for when he could see him again.  
He threw himself on his bed focusing on the feel of the sheets instead of the chaos in his mind. It worked for a while as he caught his mind in circles thinking about the same things over and over, refusing to think about anything else.  
He had a practiced ease to controlling where his thoughts went, even M'gann had noted it. So why couldn't he do the same with his emotions? What was the difference?  
He huffed in annoyance as his thoughts strayed back to the Clone. He needed a more permanent solution.  
He wearily stood up feeling like he ran a marathon, he slowly walked into the hallway and began making his way toward the training center, until he had a permanent solution that temporary one would work.

Conner POV  
He held them both up to the light trying to see which was better, he carefully examined each detail on them before deciding that his first pick had been better.  
He tossed the other snow globe back on the shelf as he put the superior snow globe over on the dusty shop counter. The woman behind the counter ignored him as she continued typing on her phone. He bit back his irritation at her and started looking for another souvenir.  
Since his island was close to Hawaii, (give or take but I travel by Sphere) he decided to grab a few things from the island to take back for the others, which was why he had stopped at an old out of the way souvenir shop covered in tikis.  
A lot of the stuff was cheap junk but they had some cool stuff, like the snow globes.  
He was getting one for himself, one for Garth, and one for Bart.  
Why only them?  
Because he wasn't a clone of Bruce Wayne that's why money was sadly not his superpower, Garth was like a little brother to him and he really liked him. So he always grabbed Garth something when he went anywhere. And Bart because he would whine and complain if he didn't get something, and because it was something that Wally used to do, Conner smiled at the thought.  
The two days isolation had done him good, he wasn't as upset as he was.  
But he had a really bad ache in his neck, he needed to move a bed to his island before the next trip because sleeping on the sand was getting old.  
He put another snow globe on the counter, the woman gave an annoyed sigh and shut off her phone before she started ringing up the total.  
He let his eyes wander as she struggled with finding the bar code, when out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something.  
He walked over to see a snow globe sitting on the top shelf. He looked it over for a second, he thought he had seen them all when he was looking for a gift earlier. And how was it possible to miss this one?  
It had a gold color with an intricate design inlaid along the side, and there was a city inside in perfect detail. Every fixture on the streets every building it almost looked like there was really people inside of it.  
In front of the city in gold letters were the words 'Atlantis' he couldn't explain it but he absolutely couldn't leave without it.  
He carefully took it and set it down on the counter as the woman impatiently took it and along with the others tossed it into a bag, before summing up the total.  
"That'll be 1.300.45."  
Conner felt his mouth hit the floor.  
"The price tags said they were ten bucks each."  
The woman gave an annoyed groan before she started unpacking the bag.  
"These ones are ten dollars each." she said waving the first few in front of his face.  
"But this one is a bit more expensive." She held up the last one turning it so that it caught the light.  
Conner clenched his fist, "You can't seriously expect people to pay for that do you."  
The woman raised an eyebrow at him.  
"Most people would say that an affair of the heart has no written value, but I'm a simple woman, so money will do."  
She casually began tossing the globe back and forth between her hands, her eyes lighting up in excitement every time Conner nearly rushed forward to grab it before it fell.  
"Calm down boy, I just wanted to see if you would buy it. Like I said affairs of the heart usually have no written value. And this one is yours anyways. Way too much drama if you ask me."  
She threw the globe at Conner who grabbed it and held it against his chest, feeling much better now that he had it back.  
But the room had changed the shop counter was gone, along with the rest of the store leaving blank black walls, and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't bring himself to stop clutching to the snow globe like his life depended on it.  
"Why are you doing this? Who are you!"  
The woman gave him a large smile,  
"Don't You know?"  
At his confused expression she broke into hysterical laughter.  
"He doesn't know! He doesn't know!" She began repeating the same words over and over again.  
The more she laughed the louder and higher her voice became, until it was the laughter of a child that surrounded him, her body changing from the shop keeper to a little girl. The room broke in around him and the floor fell away Conner was plunged into a dark abyss. And as he fell all he could hear was her whisper in his ear,

He woke up on the beach, he sat up abruptly only for the crick in his neck to throb in annoyance. He growled as he stood up entire body protesting against him, he needed a bed.  
He looked over to where Sphere and Wolf were laying in the sand, all so peaceful. He needed to go back soon, but for now he would enjoy what he could.  
He moved away from the water toward the grass line and stretched out against a very cozy tree in order to watch the sun come up, but as he sat down something caught his eye.  
There was something buried here by the tree, he dug his fingers into the sand tying to get it out, when he finally managed to get it out he held it up for inspection it was a golden snow globe.  
The detail on it was beautiful even if it was old and scratched up, nothing a little spit and polish can't fix.  
Although he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that he had seen it before, he looked at the large letters hanging in front of the city 'Atlantis' he knew he had to have seen this before somewhere.  
In the end he decided he would remember later when it wasn't important anymore, but it would make a good gift for someone right now.  
Thinking about gifts I should get Garth and Bart something before I go home.  
As he studied the snow globe he didn't see the water near the island ripple as a woman who really isin't a shopkeeper descended lower back to the deep sea from where she came. And hopefully with her debt fulfilled, only time would tell.

La'gaans POV  
La'gaan slowly peaked his head out from around the corner. The Kryptonian had supposedly gotten back already, now if he was careful he could avoid another conversation with him until he was certain he could control himself.  
The coast was clear, he moved quickly into the room before taking a position at the next door. Okay, only two more hallways, three rooms, and a flight of stairs, stands between me and sanctuary. I can make it.  
He barely slid the next door open trying to peak in, he could hear voices but he couldn't see anyone, he decided to risk it the only other way to his room would require him to backtrack thru the entire base.  
He pushed the door open and at first thought that his fears had been completely unjustified, then he looked over at the other side of the room and there stood Garth, Bart, Artemis, M'gann, Cassie, and you guessed it Conner.  
How he had missed all of them from the other room was beyond him, but there was no way he would turn around and go back. They had already seen him to go back now. That would be a cowards move. But they were in front of the door out of here, so impossible to just slip by fake casual like he wanted.  
At the other side of the room Conner was handing toys out to the younger team members and they were treating him like he was 'Oh My God Santa Clause.' As Conner nervously presented each present and bashfully smiled every time they said how happy they were.  
He felt an overwhelming surge of affection for the Kryptonian at that moment, like an electric surge.  
Because there was a man who could literally tear a tank in two but was terrified that two kids wouldn't like his gifts, there was something incredibly childish and funny underneath the whole 'bones for my bread' exterior.  
It reared its ugly head at moments like this, when he turned into a stuttering, blushing, bumpkin. Basically a young version of Clark Kent.  
And M’gaan was staring at him a thoughtful look in her eyes. Shit.  
The Atlantean immediately swung back around trying to take back every thought. He was being filled with unwanted emotions, emotions he needed to get rid of.  
He clenched both fists to his sides and began a stiff march toward them. He needed to prove to himself that he was in control, that he could beat this. Confronting it is the only way.  
La'gaan stood as close to Conner as possible, forcing down the fluttery feeling he was getting in his chest. He gave the others a strained smile as they started talking to him about... Something.  
He tried to keep track of what they were talking about but all if his concentration was being put into not letting any of his thoughts about Conner loose. In the end he just started shaking his head and saying yes or no based on how badly everyone else reacted.  
That was why when he was asked a question he ended up staring like an idiot for five seconds, before he even realized they were talking to him.  
"Sorry what?"  
Conner gave him a annoyed look before he repeated himself.  
"I got something for you, but I left it in my room do you want to get it now or later?"  
He could feel M’gaan’s curious gaze on him, and he couldnt suppress the slight tremor his body gave before he replied. Dont say yes whatever you do don't say yes. He felt his mouth open and he was fully intending on saying anything that wouldn't get him stuck with the Clone, I have cancer, my friends mom is in the hospital, I would but Batman broke my face, I took an arrow to the knee, just don't ask me to go with you! But instead something completely different came out.  
"We can get it now."  
Curse you stupid mouth.  
He followed behind giving a large berth between them, the last thing he needed now was to be close to him. His mouth had just proven who's side it was on.  
He kept every snarky comment to himself for fear that Conner would use it as an excuse to start a conversation, although he seemed perfectly content to take the walk in silence. But if there was one truth about the clone it was that he was unpredictable and kind hearted.  
Right now those were both very bad traits for the Kryptonian to have.  
When they finally reached his room La'gaan barely came in staying just inside the door frame, not like it helped him the rooms were so small it hardly made a difference . As it was he was barely two feet away from the Kryptonian as he began rummaging through his drawers, looking for 'the thing he got.'  
While he was doing that La'gaan decided to distract himself by studying the room, it was just as small as his room was but all over the walls there was a ton of pictures. None of them were in a frame of any kind they were just stuck on there at weird angles, he recognized some of the places and people. Superman at a baseball field, Robin starring bleary eyed from a sleeping bag, a few shots of Atlantis were scattered around too. But most of the people and places that were on his wall the Atlantean had absolutly no clue about.  
Forests, deserts, schools. They sheer number of them was enough to drive most people insane.  
"Got it!"  
He nearly jumped out of his skin when the Krptonian nearly barreled into him hands concealing whatever he was holding.  
"So what exactly is it?"  
Conner gave him a sly grin, befor he unveiled his present. It was a snow globe, like the ones they have on tv sometimes, and this one was beautiful. Sure it was a little scratched up but that couldn't change the fact that it was amazing.  
"Where did you get this." his voice was oozing with awe.  
He felt Conners smile rather than saw it.  
"It was buried under the dirt, like treasure."  
"You found this in he dirt and decided to make it a gift."  
"Cheaper than a thrift store."  
Weither or not he actually found that funny or if the stress was finally breaking him, La'gaan found himself laughing so hard his sides hurt, he nearly collapsed on the floor. His sides aching as he tried to stand up straight.  
It took him a while to get back under control but when he did he was sure that Conner would think he was weird now and want to avoid him like the plague.  
Instead the Kryptonian was just watching him, an amused expression on his face, he seemed genuinely pleased actually.  
"I'm glad you like it."  
Just like that La'gaan felt his mood shift from happy to get out of there fast.  
"See you later Conner I've gotta go, places to be, people to see, bye!"  
The words flew out of his mouth almost as fast as his body ran out of Conners room, but as he ran out of the room he heard Conner laughing.  
He heard his laughter follow him down the hallway, it followed him all the way back to his room, and then straight onto the bed leaving a pit in his stomache.  
As he lay there he heard his laughter echoing in his head, along with the memory of the Kryptonian's grin when he had unveiled his present. This needed to stop.  
He looked down at the snow globe and was struck with the urge to destroy it, to smash it into a million tiny pieces everyone would think he was crazy. But Conner would hate him, and hate was much easier to deal with than kindness. Destroying this may be the only way to reclaim my sanity.  
He stared at it for the longest time, until he very carefully set it down on his counter.  
He stood up and set off at a jog to the gym.  
He needed a permanent solution. But until then this would do.

He was on fire, he took down Kaldur in under six minutes. And he fought Nightwing into a standstill. He didn't feel any of the pain their blows were inflicting, only that it wasn't enough. His every minute was robbed by thoughts of the Kryptonian he needed more, something that would force him to forget even if it only lasted a moment.  
He threw himself into every test program they had, ignoring every scrape and laser burn until there was nothing left of him to hit.  
Black Canary understood, she didn't question him as he threw himself in again and again, just turned on the next program calling out ways he could have done better. And treating his wounds when exhaustion forced him to stand still.  
But the others were less understanding.  
Pretending to turn in for the night and coming back only an hour later had been enough to get around them though.  
He threw himself back into everything from the beginning, but this time Canary wasn't here to treat his wounds.  
So only half way thru the cycle he wound up on the floor too tired to continue. And too stubborn to quit. This whole day had been a failure even now his thoughts went ahead and betrayed him. Mocking his mission, and only increasing his pain.  
He tried rolling over so that he could at least get off his side, it had taken a rather nasty cut and he would rather not lay on it.  
He winced in pain as he ended up on his back which was covered in scars of its own, he closed his eyes and tried to focus on ignoring the pain so that he could attempt standing up.  
Clearly the gym wasn't going to cut it anymore.  
Closing his eyes he focused on what he needed to do, just stand up.  
He groaned in pain as his body refused to listen to him, instead reminding him that he had put it through unending abuse all day so it didn't owe him any favors.  
Just then he knew someone else in the gym, just outside his field of vision. He could feel it in the prickle that went down his back.  
He twisted his body around ignoring every feeling of pain it inflicted to see a pair of combat boots. He followed the boots up to the face of the person who was wearing them, and gave a low groan when he saw Conner.  
"What do you want?" He challenged.  
"Can you get up."  
He didn't sound like he was asking a question. And even if he was the Atlantean couldn't answer him. His last maneuver finally taking a finishing toll on him. Leaving him too weak to do more than give a weak growl at him.  
Conner sighed before picking him up bridal style and began carrying him to his room, the other teen weakly struggled in his arms, "Stop... you... Conner I don't need or want your help so you ca…"  
"Shut up."  
La'gaan immediately shut his mouth with an audible click. He was too tired to deal with this, he gave in for a few seconds and let himself relax in his arms.  
And he very quickly fell asleep.

Conner POV  
He carefully moved the Atlantean so that his head wouldn't hit anything.  
Although it probably wouldn't make much of a difference the Atlantean was out cold, a knock on the head probably wouldn't do more than leave him with another bruise to treat in the morning.  
He slowly moved down the hallway toward the infirmary, the training room was designed to never cause serious harm, but it also assumed you wouldn't be enough of an idiot to throw everything to the highest danger setting and never take a break.  
Not even he could walk away unscathed from that.  
He carefully laid him out on the medical table, treating his wounds with the limited knowledge he had in medicine.  
When he was done he carefully picked up La'gaan who was still fast asleep and carried him to his room, when he got to the door he was faced with the dilemma of how to open it.  
He couldn't move La'gaan enough to type on the key pad, the only way to free his arms enough would be to throw him over one of his shoulders, and even though that probably wouldn't wake him up he didn't want to hold him like a bag of potatoes.  
In the end he decided to do what he did when he wanted to open the door to his room and didn't want to bother with the lock he just hoped it would work.  
He kicked the wall just below the key pad, the door immediately spluttered open with an angry hiss. There was a foot shaped mark in that exact spot by his door.  
He inched over and layed him down in his bed, the Atlantean immediately curled up against his pillows giving a happy sigh.  
Conner watched him for a while before he turned his attention to the room, he had been in almost every room since they had moved there base here. But he had never been inside this one, it looked like his room but it lacked any form of character only having the basic necessities for a room.  
The only personal touches were the snow globe that he had out on the dresser, and a conch shell.  
He looked back down at the Atlantean, and not for the first time he felt a little guilty for how hard on him he had been. He took another look around the sparse room, maybe he could take him places sure he stood out in a crowd but so did Garth and we still find places he can go.  
And maybe if he spent more time with him he could explain the electric jolt he had felt.

Flashback:  
He had been talking to the others about what his island was like while Garth thanked him over and over again for his present with his infectious enthusiasm.  
And just then La'gaan had burst through the door at the other end of the room, with his usual look of irritated and confused.  
But unlike before, he felt a current travel thru his body straight from his head to his toes.  
And he felt a giddy excitement the rest of the day, he had never felt like that before, it was strange to say the least.

Getting released into the world with absolutely zero emotional experience had taught him that when you don't understand an emotion pursue it until you do. Don't let it get away.  
Attempting to understand all of his emotions was at first a chore, but then it became something of a hobby for him, there were hundreds of different emotions that most people ignored or labeled under one thing or another and Conner couldn’t get enough of them.  
And even after years of life he didn't think he was even halfway done with experiancing his emotions finding new ones.  
He didn't understand what he was feeling for the Atlantean but he decided that he liked it, and that was better than a lot of emotions he had to learn at first.  
So learning about this one wouldn't be so bad.  
As he walked out of the room planning on different ways to explore his new emotion he failed to see the way the snow globe on the counter shimmered causing both him and the Atlantean to shudder.  
He failed to see the woman who really wasn't and never would be a shopkeeper. Stare at both of them thru her eye in the globe before chuckling softly for it would appear that her debt would be paid and maybe she could finally be free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so glad that I’m writing for a show that probably won’t have La’gaan in the next season give me closure oh internet.


	3. It continues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So know we get to the main event don’t we

Chapter 3: It continues  
His body hurt from all sides.  
La'gaan slowly shifted his body on the bed, careful to avoid making his injuries worse he slowly pulled himself into a sitting position.  
He looked down at the bandages covering his skin.  
Where did these come from? The last thing he remembered was... shoes.  
He peeled back the largest bandage and checked his skin, whatever wound he may have had it was mostly gone now leaving behind an angry red mark.  
He slowly pulled away the rest of the bandages refusing to wince when they pulled off bits of his skin along with them.  
After that he did a round of morning stretches, trying to restore some vigor into his body. His movements were a bit stiff, but he would feel better in a few minutes. Nothing a morning swim couldn't fix.  
He looked himself over in the mirror, and he watched the red welts on his skin fade to match the blue of his skin as his body healed away the remaining damage. Judging from the amount of blood that had been on the bandages his injuries had been very bad, and it felt like he had been hit by a truck, it would be best to not do the gym for a while, if he took things slow he should be fine in a little while.  
He took a few cautious steps around the room trying to find his balance. Just then he was hit with a wave of vertigo that made him sick to his stomach.  
He leaned against the dresser as his vertigo got worse, the room going blurry for a while as he waited for the attack to pass. When his vision finally came back to him he immediately left the room feeling a little light headed he needed that swim more than he thought.

It was raining, not that he minded the rain, water felt soothing on his skin lessesning the pain on his body as he walked outside. He wasted no time and immediately went toward the rocky ledge that overlooked the sea, the waters looked a little rough but he would be fine if he could get far enough below the surface. He threw himself over the edge landing in a perfect feet first dive and he started going as far down as he could letting the water wash over him.  
He sat under the water completely submerged letting whatever pain he had left leech out into the water for a while, before he just lay back and listened to the waves crash against the beach. It's really something else to listen to the sea from inside it, it can really change your point of view.  
At times like this he felt truly at peace, nothing to worry about no problems for him to deal with. He could just enjoy the world he was constantly fighting to save for once. Nothing to worry about.  
At times like this he was really... Conner!  
He sat bolt upright as the events of last night rushed back into his head. 'Neptune's beard why can't he leave me alone. Do I ever go bother him, do I turn his world inside out because of his stupid looks.'  
The Atlantean moaned in frustration as he sank back down into the sand, must the clone ruin every moment of my life, and worse he wasn't sure that he cared anymore, it wasn't so bad to have the Kryptonian involved in nearly every other thought.  
It was just not... Ideal. He felt a strange tingling down his spine as he thought about the Clone. Maybe that's what it's supposed to feel like when you have a crush on someone, he never had a crush on M'gann. She just showed up and kinda offered that they date right off the bat. Not much time for a crush that time.  
He couldn't help but wonder what dating him would be like, in fact not just him, any guy. The idea of it was both terrifying and attractive.  
All of a sudden there was a loud splash!  
Something very large rammed into the water in front of him barely missing his head it slammed into the floor leaving a sizeable dent and kicking up the sand into his eyes sending foam and bubbles everywhere, the Atlantean immediately kicked backwards putting distance between it and himself prepared for a fight. By instinct he had moved behind a coral shelf blocking his body from view.  
His desire to destroy the thing who had ruined this tranquil reflecting moment to his inner character and well being, did not improve when the foam cleared revealing Sphere looking a little lost as it pulled itself out of the ground. Sphere swiveled around under the water trying to stay still as the water pushed against it. La'gaan watched its clumsy under water maneuvering for a while before he swam out from behind his cover and gave a small wave at it, Sphere gave a happy beep when it saw him moving closer attempting to nuzzle against him like a giant metal circle shaped dog, and despite its lack of arms it seemed to be signaling for him to follow it back to the surface.  
The Atlantean sighed internally, it had been a good swim even if it was a little brief. And now the world probably just needed saving before some super villain could disintegrate it... again.  
He followed Sphere up to the surface and began swimming toward the shore.

Conners POV  
The water crashed down on the beach spraying him with a few droplets of water. Conner wiped his face with his hand before returning his attention back to the sea, his grey eyes scanning the waters surface for any sign of the Atlantean. He knew that he was somewhere out there, it was just a question of if he could find him.  
After last night it didn't seem like a good idea to leave him alone, and in this weather swimming could be dangerous even for an Atlantean. And he was worried about him, really worried and it didn't help that no one else seemed to care.  
Eventually he spotted Sphere riding a wave coming closer to shore and not far behind him the Atlantean also navigating the stormy sea with ease until they both hit the shore, Sphere gave an unhappy beeping as it whirred back up and down the sand trying to get the water out of its parts.  
La'gaan walked over, "So what's the emergency today?"  
"Theres no emergency." Conner said.  
"Than what are you doing here?"  
He gave a grin, "I wanted to hang out with you."  
The Atlantean's face immediately fell in, his red eyes all of a sudden looking dim and pale.  
Conner winced when he saw the way his face changed and he was tempted to just drop it and leave him alone, but if he did that he might never now what that spark feeling was. And understanding the spark was more important than anything La'gaan wanted. So instead he tried to give a smile it must have looked miserable because Conner was miserable out here in the rain and smiles look like you feel. But he gave it his best shot.  
"So we can take Sphere up to the base and play some video games if you want, or we could go someplace that isin't raining and then hang out."  
La'gaan was giving him a dead look, face completely devoid of any emotion. "Why?"  
"Because I want to hang out with you."  
"... Why?"  
"Because I want to hang out with you." He repeated not really understanding the question.  
La'gaan looked like he was thinking it over, I hope he thinks fast I don't like standing around in this weather.  
"No." The Atlantean said it so fast it was hard to tell that he had said anything at all. And after he had said it La'gaan pointedly ignored his spluttering as he walked right past him heading back toward the base.  
Conner moved to cut him off, "Why not? There's no reason for you not to."  
La'gaan shook his head before he tried to get past the Kryptonian, but he was like a wall of iron. And La'gaan couldn't move fast enought to get around him.  
"Tell me why not?" Conner challenged. The Atlantean stared at him for a while before he turned around and headed for the other side of the beach. Normally this would have been enough for him to say forget it and go, but today he just felt a vague sense of exasperation before he began to follow him across the sand. The rain was getting worse, it was difficult to even see the Atlantean who was only a few feet ahead of him.  
"Can you just tell me why not... If you keep this up i'm gonna catch a cold and have nothing to show for it."  
"I didn't ask you to follow me. And you can't catch colds." La'gaan shouted over the winds.  
Conner laughed as he moved behind him. "True, but it's the thought that counts."  
La'gaan snorted before he clamped down on his tongue, his mouth really wasn't on his side.  
"So any time you wanna tell me why you dont want to hang out. I'm all ears... Come on what's the harm in actually talking to me?... Come on I'm getting bored, just tell me... Come on tell me already."  
La'gaan finally turned to face him.  
"Why can't you just leave me alone."  
"Maybe I'll go, when you tell me why you won't hang out with me."  
He watched as his mouth opened and closed as he tried to come up with something. Before he just gave up, "What are you five!" He screamed in exasperation.  
"Yes. Well six, almost seven." Conner couldn't fight down his smirk as the Atlantean gave a low growl and continued stalking down the beach.  
Conner was hit by another spray of water he glared at the ocean in annoyance before he realized just how bad the storm had gotten, the waves were slamming down on the sand and the wind was blowing fast and hard.  
"We need to get out of this storm!" Conner shouted trying to be heard over the wind that was quickly growing much fiercer, but when he looked back at where the Atlantean was he realized that La'gaan was nowhere to be seen. Conner looked all around him trying to catch sight of the Atlantean, but all he could see was the stupid rain, as he was giving his surroundings another look he realized that he knew where he was at the beach he was at the straight path.  
Their we're two ways to get to the beach from the base, one way was the regular path which was what you normally used to get down here, or the straight path which was a long narrow strip that wen't straight from the beach to the base. That path was almost vertical, using it was more like rock climbing than walking, and even though it was faster most of the team members preferred the easy walking of the regular path.  
But he wouldn't use that path in this weather he's not that stupid, Conner was afraid to look up because deep down he knew. La'gaan really was that stupid.  
He glanced up and cursed when he saw a foot disappear into the fog, he rushed over to where Sphere was waiting for him. It only took a second for Sphere to switch to it's cycle form, but he had to wait nearly twenty seconds for Sphere to stabilize for the weather.  
He hadn't gone up far before he saw the struggling Atlantean clinging to the cliff moving suprisingly fast up the side.  
"Your gonna fall." Conner called out over the storm, Sphere gave a trill in agreement.  
The other teen shot an annoyed look over his shoulder before he went back to climbing.  
"Just get in Sphere before you fall and hurt yourself."  
Another annoyed look.  
"Well if your just gonna hang around, you mind telling me why you don't want to hang out sometime."  
Even with the wind he could hear the frustrated sigh.  
"Listen, this isin't as easy as it looks and your being very distracting so why don't you just let me focus and go fly into the sun or something."  
Conner gave an easy shrug before he leaned back in the pilot seat watching him climb, he found the sight of the other struggling to climb very entertaining. And the sheer anger the other teen was radiating only made it funnier.  
But there was a real reason that he hung around, no matter how good at climbing La'gaan was he was probably going to fall, sooner rather than later. And sure enough about half way up a strong gust of wind literally turned them both sideways, while not so bad for Conner. It tore the Atlantean off the cliff and spiraling down the side his body scrapping against the wall as he fell.  
But he was ready, Sphere sped down after him and they managed to catch him before he slammed into the ground and made a new kind of crab cake, although he looked like he would have preferred to hit the ground as he muttered in Atlantean, while they landed inside the docking bay.  
La'gaan started climbing out of Sphere clutching his chest as he moved but before he could get anywhere, Conner reached out grabbed La'gaan and was trying to pin him down to get a good look at his chest.  
"Neptunes beard! Have you completely lost it! Let me go right now or I swear to Poseidon I will kill you." La'gaan struggled ineffectually attempting to escape from the clones iron grasp.  
Connner ignored him and reached out to touch the scar quickly withdrawing his hand when La'gaan let out a moan of pain. He looked at the Atlantean who had stopped struggling and was staring firmly away from him face set in a scowl. Conner breathed a quick sigh before he pulled the now tame Atlantean behind him heading in for round two of the infirmary.  
Once they got inside La'gaan tried pulling away from him but he just gripped his wrist tighter and pulled him along, ignoring the Atlanteans spluttering protests as he dragged him all the way to the back of the room.  
He gestured toward the medical table and began rummaging thru drawers looking for something better than a bandaid for the Atlantean's wounds, but he had no idea what would work for an Atlantean he knew there were some differences but he wasn't sure about the specifics so he just grabbed some medical salves and piled them up on the counter, he would just run by trial and error.  
He forced the Atlantean's arm up to get a better look at the cut, he frowned at the blood before he started clearing it up with a towel. The moment was dragging on and La'gaan was too quite, or too compliant either way he didn't like it.  
"So... You gonna tell me why you don't want to hang out."  
He felt like he won a personal victory when the Atlantean smiled. "Well, why not."  
La'gaan studied the ground, "Why would you want to?... Hang out with me?" he slowly asked.  
Conner put some more salve on the wound as he thought over his answer. He felt like the wrong answer would shut a door here forever.  
"I thought you were dead." He saw the confused look on La'gaan's face.  
"When I found you lying on the ground, in the training room I thought you were dead. You looked dead. If you had been dead then... I don't know. I guess I wanted to get to know you better." That was good not quite the truth but not a lie either.  
“Thank you for you know earlier.” The Atlantean mumbled out. And Conner understood that he meant from more than the catch, or even the medical treatment, but he only nodded and got back to work. Conner finished wrapping his chest as he sat quietly, waiting for the Atlantean to talk. They sat in silence for a while, until La'gaan finally spoke.  
"I'd like to hang out sometime."  
Conner felt the spark race down his spine, and he gave a toothy grin.  
This was so worth it.  
“Can we please not hang out somewhere stupid though.”  
“Nope you already agreed I can drag you anywhere I want and you have to like it.”  
La’gaan groaned as Conner laughed triumphantly neither minded that they couldn’t quite fight there smiles down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so happy this turned out perfectly.


	4. P is for Pie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What is he snow globe!!!! You may never know!!

Chapter 4: P is for Pie

Just hanging out no big deal and absolutely not a date in any way shape form or fashion.  
La’gaan knows that in his head, he does it’s just friends hanging out. If he checks the clock multiple times it’s because he has been trained in the atlantean military and he has always been on time and that’s just a courtesy. He almost believes it even as he puts on his only   
non-Hawaiian button shirt and nicest shorts. His ‘date clothes’ as M’gaan liked to say, and ending up a full 15 minutes early.  
This is totally fine.  
At least until Conner shows up 5 minutes late wearing what he always wears, and it upsets La’gaan to see that Conner is actually doing what friends do when friends hangout and is both embarrassed and feeling a little humiliated.  
Made worse when Conner very obviously sized him up with a single raised eyebrow. La’gaan felt exposed and he hated it.  
“Well are we going somewhere or what chum?”   
Conner missed a beat before he replied   
“Uh, yeah we’re going. Your gonna like it me and Garth go to this place all the time.”   
“Can’t wait I’m sure it will be ‘fun’”  
La’gaan saw the way the light dimmed out of Conner’s smile at his response it felt like he had just kicked a puppy. And he hated it but he didn’t know how to not do that, Conner gave a tight smile as they set off and the entire way they sat in an uncomfortable silence.   
Apparently the place was a diner that apparently didn’t care if it served green, atlantean, or incredibly possessed teens so long as you could pay.   
The waitress took one long look at them before ushering Conner inside and placing them in the back.  
They didn’t talk even after they ordered and when Conner ordered over him because he  
“Absolutely had to have the pie.” La’gaan didn’t say anything because he didn’t think he could stand to make this any worse than it was.  
And yet somehow through that first piece of pie Conner suddenly said,  
“Why isn’t P for Pie?”  
La’gaan made a questioning sound around his fork.  
“You know like A is for apple. Why isn’t P for pie? Instead they have like Pumpkin or something. What’s up with that?”  
Slowly La’gaan put down his fork and carefully replied,   
“I don’t see why that’s the one that bothers you since most of the alphabets on land don’t even make sense... and while your at it what about those creepy fairytales like little hood, and her crazy gold obsessed friend?”   
“I’m pretty sure you have that horribly wrong.”  
“No, I’m always right.”  
Conner smiled slowly and La’gaan didn’t fight his own smile.

It had been years since La’gaan had laughed as loudly as he did or felt free to enjoy himself and Conner he spent the entire time in a careful haze of emotions understood and feelings brand new.  
As he and La’gaan start to repeat nursery rhymes that Conner hasn’t thought of since the moment he was created. Fairy tales that neither of them understand from a world they were both dumped into.   
And neither one regrets being where they are now.

THREE WEEKS LATER  
Conner sat with his arms crossed starring at the monitors inside the bio-ship still waiting for any sign that something was happening... anywhere. But the monitor remained as unchanged as it was the last time he checked it 10 seconds ago.  
Conner didn't bother suppressing his groan of boredom as he slummped back in his seat, after all the only other person who could hear him was the Atlantean teen and he was just as bored. Although the Atlantean pretended to look busy as he went through the ships systems again.  
"Hey La'gaan, I'm bored let's do something."  
La'gaan waited a second before he turned his chair toward him.  
"Do what? Their isin't anything to do in here or out there." He kept his eyes from actually looking at the Clone instead he focused them out the viewport and watched sand blow.  
Conner furrowed his brow for a few seconds as if he just realized where they were. But then his face split into a sunny grin.  
"We can watch a movie!"  
"You want to watch a movie... That is the dumbest idea I have ever heard. Even from you chum. We're supposed to be on watch duty." La'gaan turned his chair back around and started pushing random buttons so he looked busy, he hoped he didn't push anything too important.  
Conner let out another bored groan, "Come on. I'm so bored right now, we have to do something... Heck I'm so bored I could play one of your dumb Atlantean games and enjoy myself."  
The random button pushing stopped. The chair slowly turned towards the Kryptonian.  
"My games aren't dumb, they are ancient games that have been passed down for generations in Atlantis they require skill, strategy, and intense concentration. Unlike the games you like to play, my games have..."  
Conner gave a fake snore his eyes closed as if he had fallen asleep, interrupting the Atlantean's speech.  
Lagaan gave an irritated scowl before he returned to pretending to do something important and Non-Kon involved. Conner got up from his chair, he walked straight up to La'gaan and leaned over so that their heads were next to eachother.  
He had never thought it was possible for him to reach the state of never ending tapping on a keyboard. Right now he could give Flash a run for his money, he had never seen anyone type as fast as he was now. Don't ask him to tell you what he actually typed because he didn't have the slightest clue. He felt Conners breath on his shoulder as the other teen leaned over behind him.  
"Come on La'gaan there's nothing else to do, please... Please... Please... Come on I'm bored." Conner started poking La'gaan's arm trying to get him to respond.  
"No."  
"Pleeeeeease. I'm bored."  
"I don't care."  
Conner reached over from behind the seat and wrapped his arms around the Atlantean's chest.  
"I'm gonna keep asking until you do it, so just surrender already."  
He failed to see the way La'gaan blushed, but he did notice something else.  
"Hey, why are you typing the same thing over and over?"  
La'gaan hit him over the head sending him to the floor, his head stuck awkwardly against the chair. "What was that for!" Conner yelled.  
"I can't focus when your leaning over me like that! There's no space to breath!" La'gaan exclaimed.  
Conner scowled at him but then his face lite up. He leaned back over the seat his face set in a grin. He knew that for some reason or other La'gaan always gave in to him. Escpescially when he either begged or smiled, so try both Atlantean scum!  
"You know that really hurt. (Almost) But theirs an easy way you can make up for it. All you have to do is watch a movie with me." He gave La'gaan his biggest smile.  
La'gaan shrugged him off. "No, leave me alone." He blushed.  
But Conner wasn't about to back off "Come on, you owe me that really hurt. (Sort of) Just one movie and hey we can even watch 'Monster of the black lagoon." He finished quickly, trying to cut off La'gaan's protest before he could say anything. "Come on please."  
The Atlantean thought it over while Conner fidgeted. But finally La'gaan spoke up.  
"What's the Black lagoon about?" He asked.  
Conner smiled, looks like he wouldn't be bored after all.  
"If you've never seen it before, then you can't just watch it. It needs to be seen from optimal conditions." Conner said.  
La'gaan rolled his eyes.  
The rest of their patrol was spent with Conner excitedly telling La'gaan exactly what they would be doing later. And with La'gaan hiding his smile and pretending to be annoyed.  
At least neither of them were bored.

"I can't believe you've never seen this movie, it's a classic!"  
Conner hit the play button on his tv before he jumped back on the bed. "How could you have spent this long on the surface and never seen this movie."  
La'gaan shrugged trying to balance the popcorn bowl on his lap as Conner shook the bed. He couldn't believe that Conner had dragged him down here to watch the movie in his 'Optimal Movie Conditions.'" Meaning Conner's room, loads of popcorn, and tons of blankets.  
"But it's practically got you in it. Isin't this movie the reason why you call yourself Lagoon Boy?"  
The Atlantean gave an annoyed humph as the movie began, it was the definition of corny old horror movie. But it was surprisingly also a good movie... And it did have La'gaan in it. When the movie ended, Conner ended up starting a Movie Marathon putting on 'King Kong' 'Field of Dreams' 'Angels in the Outfield' and 'Casablanca.' All movies La'gaan had never seen to Conners suprised outrage.  
"How come you can quote Pride and Prejudice but you've never seen these actually good movies!" La'gaan threw the popcorn bowl at his head.  
And what was even more surprising to Conner was how much he enjoyed the Atlantean's company. It was almost a little strange but Conner decided not to question it. You feel what you feel after all. And although he couldn't put his feelings under friendship exactly, it was still a good thing.  
The last movie ended and the credits started to run. Conner immediately jumped up and started going through his collection for another movie. He didn't want La'gaan to leavebecause their was nothing to do. have anything he thought that La'gaan wanted to watch. In the end he was stuck between the original 'Star Wars' and the newest one. The new ones weren't as good as the originals in his opinion but they had way cooler graphics, and sometimes that makes up for it. He wanted to ask La'gaan which one he wanted to see but when he turned to ask he realized that the Atlantean was asleep.  
His head was slumped forward and there was a bit of drool hanging from his mouth. Conner frowned how dare La'gaan fall asleep during the awesome movie marathon, it was only 3:45... They had stayed up all night watching movies. He hadn't noticed the time.  
He should probably take La'gaan to his room.  
...  
His hand reached out and instead of picking him up he just touched the top of La'gaan's head, the feelings he didn't understand started jumping around inside his body. He slowly brought his hand back to his side, but the feelings in his chest only got worse. The electricity was shooting thru his body demanding he do something, the urge to reach back out and touch La'gaan again was almost too strong to resist.  
And why not? He was sleeping it's not like he would ever have to know about the weird feeling in his chest that makes him want to do weird things. He would never have to tell. Conners hand reached back out and pushed into La'gaan's hair, it felt a little strange to be doing this, threading his hand thru his hair, it felt strange it felt nice.  
Conners heart was beating loudly in his own ears. He didn't now what was happening but he did know that for some reason La'gaan looked handsome. He pulled his hand out of La'gaan's hair trying to make sense of it, in the end he realized that he must be dreaming. Any moment now I'm going to wake up, and the feeling won't be here and neither will La'gaan because this doesn't make sense. Yep any second now. I'm gonna wake up.  
And as long as he was dreaming.  
His hand went back into La'gaan's hair pushing thru it from his scalp to his shoulders and back again. Conner didn't know why he was doing this he didn't know why he was making little circles on the back of his neck. He didn't know why he had to get closer like La'gaan was a drug that he needed more off, maybe it was Nightwings fault. It's usually Nightwings fault when things go wrong, the little hob goblin mini Batman, he must have done something.  
Maybe it's a hair feeling makes you want to touch hair. But then he would want to touch anybody's hair, the hair dresser feeling. Then it wouldn't be just La'gaan it would be everybody, he didn't know if he found that thought soothing or irritating.  
He brushed back the loose strands of the Atlanteans hair, and then he leaned down and kissed him. It wasn't a big kiss or a long kiss, and it was on the fore head but it was a kiss. And Conner did not mean to do that. He sat staring wide eyed at the spot on La'gaan's fore head he had just... Kissed.  
It had been completely instinct, without thought. One second he had been touching the next. He had... Oh my God!  
Conner started gesturing wildly his brain going into shut down mode. He looked at Wolf who seemed to be sending one message.  
'Don't look at me I don't know a thing.'  
Conner looked back at La'gaan. The kiss wasn't so bad actually. It felt nice. The lightning in his body was giving him a pleasant buzzed feeling. He leaned in to see if a second kiss would be different but then,  
La'gaan started to stir, Conner started flailing his arms and immediately jumped back as if he had burned himself. Conner thought his jump was pretty awesome, it gave him plenty of room and La'gaan would never know that Nightwing had done something weird that made his hair feel really nice or that he had been kissed, except that his bed was small so Conner ended up only half landing on it, the rest of his body ended up falling sending his head crashing to the ground but with his legs still stuck on the bed.  
Lagaan immediately sat up when Conners crash shook the room. "Ehhh saynehdjksis!" The Atlantean looked around the room blurry eyed until his eyes landed on Conner awkwardly getting off the ground.  
"What are you doing in my room?" He challenged.  
Conner laughed "Dude, this is my room you fell asleep."  
La'gaan's head looked around the room his eyes getting wider as he realized that this wasn't his room. Conner just laughed at the comical expression on La'gaan's face when he realized that he had fallen asleep. But even though he was smiling he was disappointed he felt he had been so close to understanding the weird hair feeling and now La'gaan had to go and mess it up. Even though he didn't understand all the new emotion rules he did now it was something he could never tell La'gaan about it, it was a secret La'gaan could never find out.  
"I was about to carry you to your room, I keep doing that cuz I'm a great guy. But you really need to start sleeping in your own bed." Conner chuckled.  
La'gaan scowled at him as he stood up his legs a little wobbly he took a second to adjust before he started walking out the door. Conner watched him leave he called out a weak bye as La'gaan shut the door behind him. Now it was just him and Wolf alone. He waited two seconds before he found himself running after La'gaan.  
It was the weird hair feeling that did it really it made him get hair crazy and La'gaan was the only person around. And he needed to understand his emotions. His thoughts were running in circles it was like he could feel his mind becoming dumber by the second. It's the only reason. Not because he already missed having him around after two seconds. Not in the slightest. He did miss him though.  
He just walked next to him, not saying anything. He couldn't think of anything to say, what are you supposed to say at a time like this 'Hey La'gaan can I touch your hair. I need to see if I'm suffering from a want your hair feeling, or if Nightwing has done something to make your hair feel nice. Because if he did I'm gonna burn him to the ground this time.' And that's when La'gaan says 'Sure you can. I don't mind I love when people touch my hair.' And then we stand their while I touch his hair and then we talk about Pop tarts, and then we tell dumb jokes like 'Why did the Villain cross the road' and then I kiss him, and then... Kiss Him!  
Ah. Yes of course. It was all clear now... Clear. As. Mud. So much mud.   
Nothing was making sense this isn’t what Conner felt for M’gaan that was love and safety and protection.  
Conner felt like an idiot, it felt like it was so obvious what his new emotion was but he still couldn't put his finger on it. But if it makes him want to... Like La'gaan... I'm confused. And it was so very Nightwings fault... probably. He imagined the different ways he could end him without using heat vision. (Because he didn't have any)  
Just then he realized someone was talking to him, he pulled his head out of the clouds just in time to catch the end of La'gaan's sentence  
"... That could work, don't you think?"  
Ehhhhhhhh. Activate neutral face "I guess."  
Conner took a covert look around when the Atlantean wasn't looking, they were standing in front of La'gaan's room. And he was punching in the code that would open his door and then it would close and then their would be no more La'gaan. He frowned as La'gaan stepped into his room.  
"Good night Conner."  
"G'night." He stood in front of the door feeling akward. He should probably go but he liked it here. Yep, that's it he liked it here. And he didn't want to talk to La'gaan more. Nope that wasn't it at all. But it would be nice if it happened while he was standing here.  
"Are you gonna stand there all night chum."  
Conner laughed but inside his head 'Yes, no, maybe, that depends. I'm confused.'  
Wolf padded over and sat down next to Conner 'What I miss?'  
Lagaan smiled and started saying good night to Wolf, Conner wasn't listening he was just... Observing. The feeling in his chest was hurting. It wasn't a nice feeling. He felt like if he didn't do something soon he would explode.  
But what was he supposed to do, their was nothing he could do. If he can't tell La'gaan about the feeling. (And he wouldn't) What was he supposed to do, pretend they didn't know each other? Act like I'm not an idiot?... What whaaa.  
"Thanks for the movies Conner, now I'm going to bed see ya."  
The burning sensation in his stomach wasn't going away. And he knew it wouldn't go away. Not unless he did something.  
"Can I come in?" He asked right before La'gaan shut the door.  
"What?"  
"Would you let me..Come in. I've never seen your room before." God that sounded dumb I really am an idiot!  
La'gaan looked at him sideways.  
"Really? You've never seen my room." Conner shook his head.  
"Didn’t you see it when you brought me here that one time.”   
(When you were being an idiot)  
Conner hastily shook his head no.   
“Well, sure if you want."  
Conner slowly walked into the Atlantean's room, he pretended to look around the bare room it's not like he hadn't already studied every corner but La'gaan had been asleep that time. So he didn't know I had obsessively studied his room that one time, he had been sleeping just like when he had ki...errrr. brain stop.  
"Sooooooo your room is nice." Conner said. La'gaan nodded at him as he stretched out on the bed.  
"I'll give you the tour. This is my bed. And that's it, hope you enjoyed the tour."  
Conner smiled but it was more from nerves than anything else.  
La'gaan seemed oblivious to Conners presence as he started climbing under his blanket. But the silence was driving Conner insane. "Hey La'gaan, you want to hang out tomorrow? Not that we don’t hang out now but like can we hang out tomorrow too?” Wow nice Super-Smooth.  
The Atlantean mumbled a tired reply from underneath his blankets.  
"What did you say?"  
Another mumble.  
"Huh?"  
"Yes! I'll do whatever you want just shut off the light!" Conner laughed as he hit the switch.  
The Kryptonian stood watching La'gaan in the darkness for a while. Wolf walked past him heading out the door.  
'Stop staring it makes you look scary...er' Wolf said, although no one understood him.  
It looked like La'gaan was already asleep, and if he was sleeping.  
He quickly walked over and placed another kiss on La'gaan's head before he could change his mind. The feeling he had when he was this close to La'gaan made the whole craziness of his head make sense.  
He left soon after that. But Wolf didn't leave he saw, he always saw. Why did people treat him like a dumb dog?  
He saw the way La'gaan sat up after Conner left, he saw the way he smiled. And he saw the Snow Globe.


	5. A first date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That awkward moment when you start dating and realize that you have the same ex and your both trying to get over her.

Chapter 5: A first date  
It all started the next day.  
The next day La'gaan woke up to a pounding on his door. His head was aching and he decided to just ignore it. He honestly expected it to be Kaldur, the older Atlantean was the only person who actually came to his room for any reason, and he was the last person he wanted to see so Kaldur could knock all he wanted because he was not getting up. A loud slam came from the door and it slid open. La'gaan flipped off the bed trying to get to his feet. He was blinded by his sheets but he swung his arms around as he prepared to fight off whoever just broke into his room. But the only person in the room was Conner holding two bowl's of cereal and a raised eyebrow as he watched La'gaan wrapped up in his blankets trying to defend himself. Last night you kissed me last night. La'gaan froze, half of him wanted to demand to know about the kiss, and the other half wanted to slam his face in and hide under the bed. He didn't think long Conner made up his mind for him. "Morning La'gaan." He pushed past him and made himself comfortable on the bed. La'gaan stared at Conner munching cereal for a while trying to decide if he was still asleep. And as if the Kryptonian could read minds he said.  
"You promised that you would hang out with me today. And I don't want to waste any time. So eat and put a decent shirt on, because we are going someplace amazing!"  
"How did you get in my room?" La'gaan asked. The Atlantean struggled across the room unwrapping himself from his sheets and stuck his head out the door, looking for whatever Conner had used to get in, his eyes widened when he realized what happened.  
"You kicked my wall!"  
Conner shrugged as he took another big bite of frosted cereal. "It doesn't hurt my wall." He said thru his cereal. "Now get dressed I have a day of awesome planned!"  
Conner punctuated his sentence by stabbing the air with his spoon, his grin getting so wide he looked like he was wearing Jade's Cheshire mask. You kissed me. I wanted to argue with him, but I didn't really know what to argue with him about. Is that a bad sign? I wouldn't know I've never done this before. All I really know is that I've already lost any argument we might have had so it was probably better to just get dressed.  
"Fine I'll get dressed. But this had better be worth it."  
"Make sure you wear something warmer than swim trunks." Conner stretched out on the bed dropping both bowls on the desk his infuriating smile getting bigger.  
La'gaan scowled at him but obeyed as he pulled out the only pants he owned, and a sweat shirt. Not because I want to go theirs no reason for me to want to go. But there's just no reasoning with him, when he sets his mind to something he's like a shark with its dinner. He never lets go. Better to just go along for now. Again not because I might actually want to go with him, which I don't. He kissed me...  
"I can't change if your here in the room watching me." La'gaan glared at Conner who was silently and almost eerily watching him from the bed. But Conner just shrugged, "Were both guys, and we change together in locker rooms all the time,” Conner listed “it's not like I'm seeing anything new... Unless Atlantean's..." Wahhh!  
La'gaan threw his clothes at Conners head before he could finish his sentence. And quickly set about changing, mostly to prove that having Conner here in the room with him didn't change anything it didn't make any difference. But even though he never looked he could feel Conner watching him. Why are you watching me? Why did you kiss me?  
A day with Conner sounds like it might be fun. And maybe I'll understand just what's going on in that thick head of his.  
With his lips! You kissed me.  
"So where are we going?"  
Conner's smile turned into a small grin. "It's a surprise."  
It was probably bad that La’gaan recognizes this as a regular thing every morning Conner would find a reason to hang out or go somewhere, and then they would end up spending the whole day together, unless someone was trying to blow up the world, because Conner would come up with reason after pointless reason to stay together until the day ended. To be honest it wasn't like La'gaan tried very hard.  
"Hey La'gaan want to come play basket ball?' Hey wanna have another movie marathon?' I'm going running are you coming? I just made the worlds best Waffle!" It was constant Conner all the time but their was no kissing, in fact it sometimes seemed like La'gaan had imagined the whole thing. An idea which both relieved and (he would never admit it) upset him. Conner had been taking him somewhere every day for a week now and he still acted like it never happened, yes I was supposed to be asleep when it happened but I wasn't and he's still ignoring the issue... Stupid Clone.  
That's why La’gaan was going along with him for a chance to set things straight let him know exactly where I stand, it's the only reason it's not because he smiles at me so much, it can't be because of his stupid laugh, to let him know where I stand. But at the end of every day La'gaan was getting less and less certain about where he was standing. No, scratch that he knew where he was standing, he also knew where he was supposed to be standing and they were nowhere near each other.  
The idea to just end all Conner contact had crossed his mind more than once, but after every day the idea had less and less appeal. He had tried to take small Conner breaks in order to stay in control, at least a little bit. But La'gaan soon realized that he had no control in this, not when all Conner had to do was say please and he would do anything he wanted, it was beyond wrong it was infuriating because when he was done he didn't feel guilty over the way his stomach was tight and his face would flush whenever Conner would lean close to him. Something that happened a lot he couldn't decide if Conner was doing it on purpose but he didn't mind, he felt a warm pride that Conner had asked him to come. Not a second pick, not the fall back, Conner picked him first, and the clone was addictive, being first was addictive. And no matter what it cost him, this whatever they had wouldn't end because of him. He wouldn't let it.  
Infuriating and nice. Conner kissed me... And I think I liked it. Neptune save me.

Conner's POV  
Conner pushed another piece into place, finally satisfied everything would work the way he wanted. Conner carefully slid out from underneath his bike. He didn't want to flip it and mess up it's new paint job, which was something else he had recently added. Working on his bike was how he kept his head straight, or how he 'screwed it back on after the cows kicked it off.' To quote his idol Superman. And lately his head could use the work, his life was confusing, specifically La'gaan was confusing. One second La'gaan and him are having fun the next the Atlantean try's to avoid him. Or one second he's enjoying the Atlantean's company and the next he wants to kiss him again, usually when he's being incredibly La'gaany. Like when he's upset over the amount of trash people throw in the water, or when he trips over his own feet trying to get closer to something he's never seen before, and the one I see the most, La'gaan upset trying to prove his worth on the team as if it was something that he hadn't already earned. You know La'gaany.  
The sounds of someone entering the hangar bay drew Conner out of his thoughts, at first he just ignored the other person as he went back to work (His head needed the work) but after a while he realized that whoever came in was heading straight for him. His hearing usually wasn't a good way to tell people apart but he recognized the smooth light footfall as she came closer, Conner grabbed another wrench and started messing with the bike again making sure his back was toward her. He wasn't trying to avoid her or anything, but working on his bike kept him calm. Despite his normal life, his first answer to everything was to hit it. At first he thought a real life would calm him down, but they did something at Cadmus. Something bad.  
So he needed to stay as calm as possible, or he would do something he regretted. She would understand why he was working, she always understood him. She walked up behind him and after a few seconds started impatiently tapping her foot, but Conner would wait as long as he had too because he wouldn't talk first. He never talked first.  
But that doesn't mean he couldn't look.  
Conner turned around and stared up at her, he still thought she was beautiful. M'gann stood there her arms crossed and it looked like her hair was slightly longer than yesterday. She smiled but she was here for a reason he could see it in the way she watched him.  
"You've been avoiding me." She said. Simple to the point. Right before they broke up all there conversations sounded like this, they didn't need words to tell eachother what they thought, still didn't. He didn't need to give her an answer, she would understand he just gave her a blank stare.  
"I know I messed up Conner, but avoiding me doesn't help you."  
Of course your here to help me. The disbelief was plainly on his face for anyone to see.  
"Conner I never expected to get back what we had. I would've loved too, but I didn't expect too. And I am sorry for what I did. Even if we can't go back to being... We can at least be friends."  
Just friends, Conner couldn't bite back the ache in his chest. M'gann was his first love, and although he couldn't trust her, he still loved her. Trust and love were two different things. He never really expected to trust her again but he always thought he would love her, to just be friends was wrong somehow.  
He heard M'gann sigh "We don't belong together anymore, and I need to let go, but I can’t do that not unless you let us go." Their we're tears in her eyes as she spoke. And this time it was Conner who understood her. She still loved him, but every time she saw him she was reminded of the guilt the times when she had sunk the lowest. They were always the perfect pair, from the beginning to the end. But she couldn't let him go as long as he never let her go. No matter how much they loved eachother he couldn't trust her and she would be forced to live with her guilt to stay with him. And Conner hadn’t realized that a part of him was still waiting for her to ask him for a second chance, still waiting for an excuse to forgive the unforgivable.

They couldn't be together, M'gann could see his head working it out and she knew that he knew. She smiled and slowly began walking out of the room. But Conner wanted to tell her, needed to tell her, before she walked away.  
"We were perfect for eachother." He said, not trying to make her feel guilty, but he needed her to know. M'gann stopped and he knew she was smiling. "We were... You should go somewhere nice, and... Take La'gaan. I think your good for eachother." She left Conner alone.  
Conner sat on the ground tossing his wrench from hand to hand. Knowing that him and M'gann were over made his whole life make sense, or at least the parts that involved La'gaan. His unknown feeling clicked into a very obvious crush, it all made sense why he spent time with him. His want for M'gann had always led him to believe that his feeling with La'gaan was something else had to be something else. It didn't feel like it did with her, this was different, it was La'gaan. The reason why he had kissed him that night, he had a crush on La'gaan. Conner smiled to himself before leaping up and running to his room, he needed to change. After all he had M'gann's advice to follow, someplace nice. He knew exactly where to go, his smile grew. Before he remembered that La'gaan would never in a million years agree to going on a date with him. It takes almost an hour to get him to come hang out. How was he supposed to ask him on a date and not get punched.

Conner tried to force down the uneasiness in his chest, but he was about to ask La'gaan to go on a date with him because his Ex-Girlfriend told him too, who was also La'gaan's Ex. And if he was lucky enough to avoid any kicks and punches that he may throw at him, then he would still probably get utterly rejected, and then he wouldn't even get to be around him any more. But Conner wasn't one to not act. And there was that infinitely small chance that La'gaan would say yes. Really tiny small chance.  
But he would need to pull out all the stops.

He fidgeted in his new clothes for once glad that Lois had dragged him to nearly every store in Metropolis. He mentally went over what he would say, 'Hey La'gaan want to go on a date!' Even in his own head La'gaan responded by going sumo and then pounding him into nearby solid objects. And that was one of the better endings.  
He kicked on La'gaan's door forcing it to open none of his uneasiness showing as he walked into the room. La'gaan scowled at him. "Stop doing that! Your going to break my wall in." Conner leaned against the wall and tried to stop himself from messing this up.  
"What is it this time?" La'gaan asked.  
Conner took a deep breath trying to calm his nerves. "Hey La'gaan, do you want toooo..."  
La'gaan gave Conner a weird look as his sentence trailed off. "Want to what?" La’gaan’s eyes trailed over superboys body. “And why are you dressed like that?”   
Lois should never have taken him shopping Conner knew he couldn’t trust her.  
Conner couldn't get the words out of his mouth. This was ridiculous, all he had to say was 'Hey La'gaan want to go on a date. Because I think I like you. And hey our mutual Ex agrees.' No instead I'm looking like an idiot. But his throat felt dry and he couldn't stop staring. How do you even ask a guy on a date? It's not like La'gaan would even like anything that a girl would, or would he? Would he like flowers or something? Should he stall this out until he found flowers? Conner vaugly remembered a conversation with M'gann about asking people on dates, she said 'bring what they like be kind not pushy blAh blah blah blah' he hadn't really been listening, but to be fair he was already dating M'gann and she just wanted to be asked out somewhere her friends would see at school he thought he would never have to know this stuff for real. Maybe I should have given this some more thought. What did La'gaan like? Conner had no idea.  
"Want to what." La'gaan asked again his nearly non-existent patience wearing thin.  
He really should have thought this thru. But he couldn't stop now, he felt a burning urge to just say it and that everything would turn out okay. But he couldn't pin that feeling and this was La'gaan it probably wouldn't be okay. But he needed to say something.  
"I wanted to know if you wanted to go somewhere cool today."  
La'gaan stared at him for a second "It's nine at night, we'd have to come back in like an hour. Because that’s our job."  
Conner shrugged fighting the urge to just run away and pretend it wasn't happening but Conner didn't run away from anything he could handle this.  
"So what do you want to do, that's so important it couldn't wait till tommorow?" La'gaan asked walking toward the door, and more importantly toward Conner. And at that moment Conner knew... he. could. not. handle. this! "Ahhh...ehhhh...ugh. Tellyouwhenyougettothehangerbay!"  
Conner took off down the hallways narowlly avoiding four people one elephant a tiger an alien and a full hockey game. And ending his mad sprint at his bike he slummped over it feeling out of breath, even though he had run twice the distance without feeling anything before those times he hadn't been running from La'gaan. It made all the difference.  
"So where are we going?"  
Conner jumped off his bike at the unexpected voice and glanced around wildly for the source. It sounded just like La'gaan but he should have about a minute before he shows up Conner was way faster than him, maybe I'm just going crazy.  
"I'm up here Conner." Conner froze and craned his neck up his eyes opened in awe as he saw La'gaan inside of sphere.  
"How'd you get here before me?" La'gaan shrugged before saying "Shortcut."  
Conner grinned and jumped into sphere, taking an immediate take off they quickly flew out of the cave and Conner punched the speed up. He didn't have much time, and also at this speed talking between passengers was impossible. Which was good because Conner didn't know how to talk to La'gaan right now. He'd never gone from friend zone to dating before, him and M'gann had been from strangers to dating, he could do that. But what do you say to a friend?  
Too many questions. Conner pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind and focused on his steering, he didn't want to miss it. After only twenty minutes or so he eased back on the throttle slowing down so he could give the ocean beneath them a solid sweep, he knew they were close but the exact details were fuzzy. Eventually Conner spotted what he was looking for a small sandy island.  
He brought sphere down and leapt into the sand followed closely by La'gaan who was giving the island a once over.  
"This is what you wanted to show me, the thing that couldn't wait till morning?"  
Conner turned to answer him but the words caught in his throat again. 'La'gaan was standing on the beach the sun was reflecting of off his scales making him look sparkly, and his red eyes were taking on the colors of the sunset swirling with orange and a hint of purple.' Conner remembered reading about that exact thing in one of M'gann's romance novels although that wasn't an exact copy of what he read, he was pretty sure he added the word sparkly on his own. But to be honest it was the only word that made sense there, he really looked sparkly. And the feeling he now named 'crushing on La'gaan' made his heart race and his thoughts shut down. It didn't help when La'gaan took a step closer to ask what was wrong with him.  
"Will you go on a date with me?"  
La'gaan's mouth fell open and his face looked completely stupid if I wasn't being so serious Conner probably would've laughed. But La'gaan stuttered out a shocked "W.. W.. Wha?!"  
I honestly don't know what I was planning on saying but my mouth had opened so I guess I was planning on saying something but somewhere down the line I guess I changed my mind because I kissed him instead, it wasn't a long kiss or complex it was a simple one not even on the lips. And just like I always imagined in my dreams, he went sumo. And he hit me.  
Flying from one side of the island to the other, smashing thru a few trees on my way I seriously considered where I had gone wrong, in the end I suppose kissing him might have been the fault in my plan. Not that I cared it had felt good to kiss him again real good, and I didn't feel any pain aside from the initial punch while going thru this, so I figured it was worth it. Maybe.  
He landed on the other side slamming into the ground with a grunt, more of frustration then of pain, where he promptly stood up and began walking back toward La'gaan. Was it Conners best idea to just walk back... maybe not. But thats where his ride was and sphere wouldn't leave without him so they were both stuck here until he went back and then ride home in akward silence, no point putting it off. He didn't feel like he should apologize to La'gaan though, after all I kissed him he hit me that made us even in Conner's fair opinion but it was good to be safe. And to be fair he did know this would happen. So maybe an apology was in order.  
When he got back La'gaan had shrunk down to normal size already, and he wasn't yelling at him both good signs. But he hadn't moved and both his fists were clenched at his sides his body trembling. But he didn't look angry, he almost looked terrified.  
"La'gaan. Are you okay?" He cautiously asked.  
La'gaan looked at him his red eyes were burning but when he spoke his voice sounded broken. "Why? Why me? why me? I’m not M’gaan or Kaldur or anybody!”  
Conner came closer not understanding La'gaan's answer. Later he would understand, later he would know that La'gaan couldn't say no to him. And that he had already decided that he would not be the one to end what they had, even if he was Conners fall back date someone to help him get over M’gaan no matter what it cost him he couldn't say no. What he did understand was the way La'gaan grabbed him, he understood that the way La'gaan kissed him that he was trying to say something he couldn't say with words. Later he would understand that he was saying goodbye to Atlantis because their was a boy on the surface he couldn't say no too, a boy who was addictive. "I'd date you Conner."  
They wasted no time spending the rest of the time they had on the island together in quiet conversation. Talking about things they had never spoken off to anyone. And despite Conners fears talking to La'gaan after dating him wasn't any different to talking with him before dating. No scratch that it was different it was better.  
That night they both went to bed far too late to avoid a lecture from the others in the morning but they didn't care, they were riding a high that they wouldn't come down from and they were happy. For know that's all that mattered.

Deep beneath the waves in a dark cave a women lay curled up on the ground as she struggled to stay conscience, her arms felt heavy as she struggled to a chair. She glanced at the floating eye to see La'gaan sleeping peacefully in his room. A small part of her felt bad that she was planning so much terror in his future. But only a small part. Her limbs ached and she let the connection to her snow globe drop. Now was a pivatol moment but she didn't have the strength. It had cost her more than she had thought it would to get Conner to ask him on a date, emotion manipulation was sometimes harder than mind control. She let her weary arms rest and drifted off to sleep.


	6. Atlantis & Drawings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beast boy would draw like a wildlife researcher is my headcanon I don’t even know where I got that

Chapter 6: Atlantis & Drawing  
Conner gave up pretending to be interested in the people around him. His head wasn't in it. He really lost interest when he heard that La'gaan wasn't going to be here, he had been called to Atlantis.  
And he hadn't told Conner. He told Kaldur where he was going but not Conner. And right now he was trying to deny that he was upset over that. Conner was absolutely determined to not end up like last time, so completely devoted so early into a relationship.  
But would it have killed him to say something?  
The only distraction Conner had today was the swarm of goons he had taken out this morning and they barely counted as a distraction. Just a lot of hired cronies who couldn't lead them to the big threats, their weapons didn't even tickle.  
So Conner had spent most of the morning thinking about La'gaan's disappearance and how it upset him. And how it hadn’t really upset him because that would be dumb but it was something that would normally upset people more concerned than he was about a relationship that just started. Was this a good use of his time... No. But Conner was past caring, four days past caring.  
When La'gaan got back he had a few things he wanted to say most of which was a bad idea, but he was never known for his good judgement.  
A familiar flash of green interrupted his brooding as Beast boy dropped into the chair next to him.  
“Hey Conner! Are you doing anything important.”  
“Nope, why?”  
Garth grinned, his canines giving his mouth an almost nightmarish effect.  
“We can draw if you want, I mean I usually draw alone. But it’s fine if you would draw with me if you wanted.”  
Conner let out a deep sigh, because he couldn’t actually say no, before he grabbed the offered pencil and paper before grinning back. “So what are we drawing? Have to warn you if it isn’t a stick figure I can’t draw it.”  
“You can draw whatever you want. And besides drawing is super easy.” Garth gave a superior nod before turning to his sketch.  
And Conner scratched a picture of a fish on the paper in front of him.  
When the Atlantean agreed to date him, Conner had been more than a little surprised, more than a little happy too. But if he had known just how many rules their would be, he might have preferred to just stay friends.  
Very distant friends. Conner glanced at the clock. It was late, really late. La'gaan was late. He was supposed to be back by now.  
When you date someone you spend more time with said someone, Conner was 90% certain that was how dating worked. If tv was to be believed that was a fact that held true no matter who you were dating.  
But how was he supposed to date someone who would never allow themselves to be seen with him? Ever.

He gave his fish drawing La'gaan's big eyes.

Even Artemis had let herself be seen in public with Wally when they first started dating, she made sure that everyone knew she hated it, but she did let it happen.

He glanced at his drawing trying to decide if his fish was decidedly La'gaan enough to destroy. After a few seconds he decided that he had done an amazing job, the La'gaan fish was pretty awesome it was a little crooked but the eyes really looked like La'gaan's, well almost Conner added angry eyebrows. Now it looked like his eyes, big and soul like although the real things were red though. And his were just big and round but it was basically the same thing, big and round.  
Conner added a few spears into his fish, and then an angry mouth for realism.  
It was strange to realize that bothering his drawing version of La’gaan was almost as satisfying as bothering the real version. 

Where was La'gaan, he needed to talk to him before he exploded. It had only been four days since they agreed to date, four days! And in those four days Conner saw less of La'gaan than ever. Back when they hated each other they saw each other more often, but know it felt like La'gaan was purposely avoiding him.  
He added another spear stabbing the picture of his fish in the head putting little x's in its eye's.  
It made no sense, if La'gaan had said no to dating then avoiding him made sense but he said yes, so why? He needed to talk to him,not just to find out what was going on he missed him.  
But he was so tired! Where was La'gaan?  
"He isin't coming back today." A soft voice said.  
Conner looked up to see M'gann walking toward him. "La'gaan is staying in Atlantis until tomorrow..." M'gann said. She stood quietly while Conner processed that information. The hum of Garth as he continued to draw oblivious to them was the only thing they heard.  
"Did he choose to stay?" He finally asked.  
"Yes, he said that he needed to take care of something." M'gann took the seat across from him. "He's not avoiding you Conner." She said after a pause  
"Could've fooled me." Conner bit out. M'gann sighed Conner humphed, just like the old days.  
"La'gaan likes you, he really does. But you knew things wouldn't be as simple as it was with us."  
"Why not?" Their was genuine curiosity in his voice.  
M'gann laughed "You haven't changed at all." They sat together in silence, Conner liked La'gaan La'gaan liked Conner, why couldn't it be as simple as that?  
Their relationship had to be a secret simple. They liked eachother simple. They were both guys a little confusing at first but in the end simple.  
Conner had expected to have a normal relationship just kept, you know, a secret from everyone. Now he wasn't entirely sure what he had gotten himself into.

Garth smiled at them always excited to see them getting along. “Hey M’gaan look what I drew!”  
His sketch looked like something you would find in an encyclopedia. Every detail in its place. “Oh that’s wonderful Garth!” He beamed at her praise before returning to work and Conner and M’gaan returned to there silence.  
“You really think he likes me.” Conner murmured.  
M'gann hummed in silent agreement. Before placing her hands on top of Conner's.  
This was nice, the three of them sitting quietly it was almost perfect.

"Hey M'gann." Conner asked breaking their silence.  
She gave a small humm in response.  
"What do you think of my picture?" Conner asked. He moved his hand so she could see his sketch. M'gann spent a second taking in the very lifelike La'gaan fish drawing.  
"Is it a dog or a boat?" She finally asked.  
Conner felt what was left of his good mood shatter.  
They both turned in a short while after that. M'gann taking Garth to hisroom, but Conner went to La'gaan's room getting in with one well placed kick. He threw himself on the Atlantean's bed, taking a second to remind himself that La'gaan's room was bare and ugly while his was awesome, but no matter how lame and incredibly boring this room was he would see La'gaan when he got back. And if La'gaan had a problem with it, Conner didn't care.  
The idea of annoying La'gaan just because he could had a lot of appeal. Conner's face quickly changed from tired frustration to boyish glee. When La'gaan got back he would be waiting. With a camera.  
He scratched out his picture of fish La'gaan.

La'gaan's P.O.V.  
Atlantis was the most beautiful city in the sea, it had spiraling golden towers and a net of lights spread across thru the sea fixed in the water like stars. La'gaan had spent years watching the city from outside working harder than anyone to get a chance to see it up close.  
And his effort won him more than just a citizenship into Atlantis, but a chance to live in the castle, to travel to the surface and join the greatest team of heroes the universe had ever seen. He had earned against all odds more than nearly any Atlantean ever.  
When he had first come into the city many of the senators on the Atlantean council had warned him against wanting more. In taking more than was his place to have.  
They infuriated him he had always ignored them, always pushing for the next step. He wanted Atlantis, he wanted to live in the palace, he wanted to be a super hero.  
He should have stopped wanting. Because now he wanted Conner.  
La'gaan swam into the throne room forcing down his thoughts of Conner now was not the time.  
Only an hour after he had arrived he had been giving orders to be at the throne room for a meeting. And he was nervous, images of himself getting discovered and destroyed kept playing thru his mind. He didn't force those thoughts down, they were good motivation.  
He entered the throne room, but to his surprise the King's throne was empty. His relief lasted the second it took for him to realize that the Queen was watching him with guarded eyes.  
Queen Mera was known for her beauty and her intelligence. She had been so renowned that the King had sought her out and fell in love with her. Despite the fact that she was not an Atlantean the King had married her a nearly unprecedented event in Atlantean history. It was she who had insisted that there be granted citizenship to non-Atlantean's many called her kind and wise, a worthy Queen. But to an unfortunate few she was known for her ruthless nature, and devestating power. La'gaan was one of the unfortunate few. And as the water warped around them creating s pocket of air before her throne. La’gaan carefully stepped into it and hoped he didn’t look as bad as he felt about this.  
"La'gaan it has been a long time since we have spoken. Tell me how have you fared on the surface world?" Mera asked. Her voice was melodious and sweet. But La'gaan knew her darker reputation too well to ever believe the softly spoken Queen was kind, cruel maybe just but not kind.  
"I have fared well your highness. The surface world is rich with discovery." La'gaan just pretended he was Kaldur and the words came easily clipped, formal, and best of all nothing close to what he would actually say.  
He talked with Queen Mera for well over an hour, simple questions that to his relief had nothing to do with Conner, although he did answer the odd question about some of his other team mates. He forced himself to calm down their was nothing to fear here.  
La'gaan started to feel a little stupid for panicking the way he did. It's not like the Queen paid any attention to him. She was theee Queen,and he had nothing to worry about. She didn't have the time or the ability to keep tabs on him he was safe.  
"Tell me La'gaan, I heard that you were dating one of your non-human team member's is this true?" She softly asked.  
La'gaan felt himself freeze, and then immediately cursed himself. She was talking about M'gann not Conner. He had brought M'gann to Atlantis. She couldn't know about Conner. And freezing like this was incredibly suspicious.  
"Not anymore my Queen." La'gaan bowed his head so she couldn't see the panic he knew was burned on his face. And a slight blush.  
"I don't believe you La'gaan I think that your heart lies in another's hands. I can sense it." The Queen leaned toward him closing her eyes and taking a breath as if she was inhaling a deep scent.  
"Yes, I can feel it. It's quite a powerful thing love, isin't it La'gaan." She took a sip from her tea.  
La'gaan refused to answer keeping his head low. But he could feel Mera's burning gaze on his shoulder. He was terrified, he wasn't speaking to the wise and just Queen.  
This was the Mera he had heard of. Before she met the King when she was known as the 'Dark Witch of the Sea' a being so powerful few dared to even speak her name. Even her voice had lost its soft melody now sounding more like polished steel.  
"No need to be so tense dear boy. If your affections are hidden I will not tell a soul." She said. La'gaan forced his head up he didn't feel relieved. But when he saw her smirk stretched across her face it reminded him of a cat that had just won, or a shark perhaps was more fitting. Their was a dark fire in her eyes and La'gaan was absolutely positive.  
'She knew about Conner. And she was going to use it against him.'  
"But would you mind telling me something about this person your seeing if my memory serves you said that almost every girl on your team is in a relationship with someone else. Unless your not dating one of them." Mera took a long sip from her tea, gazing thoughtfully at the wall.  
No curse was sufficient to tell you what La'gaan was feeling, all of Mera's seemingly random questions now made sense, she had been eliminating all possibilities forcing La'gaan into a corner.  
Mera's eyes jumped back to La'gaan causing him to take a step back when he saw the dark fire in her eyes was now burning even brighter.  
"You are a fine Atlantean you do this city proud. You have done so much for this city." She paused for a while. Her face went dark for a few seconds her head hanging low. But like a light switch she came back up her face again in a smile.  
"Perhaps you can do something for me?" She said with sudden enthusiasm as if the thought had just occurred to her. "It would be a simple task. Nothing that an experienced warrior like you would even need to worry about."  
La'gaan couldn't even open his mouth to answer. Mera waited a few seconds before continuing the conversation as if he accepted.  
"Your help would be greatly appreciated dear boy. But I am very tired, and you must be as well and my task would take the whole night to explain. So why don't you get some sleep and let's continue this in the morning."  
Something snapped inside of La'gaan his paralyzing terror was replaced with an unshakeable rage. The change did not go unnoticed. Mera seemed to smile brighter the more furious La'gaan became.  
"Thank you my Queen, I would be honored to assist you to the best of my abilities." He had to fight to keep the venom from dripping out of his voice.  
She gave La'gaan a sweet smile and an almost cheery sounding good bye as he left the throne room.  
La'gaan gave the usual pleasantries to the numerous guards and senators that filled the palace halls, but his mind was elsewhere. How had she discovered him? And so easily!  
Even though she had said nothing about Conner, La'gaan knew the same way he knew when he was being watched, it was by six sense something La'gaan had learned to trust without doubt.  
She could destroy him, and not just figuratively as an Atlantean citizen he was bound to their law and as such he would suffer under any penalty the Queen liked and if he was ever discovered. Well La’gaan didn’t have many friends here, and many more would be dying for a chance to see him fail to grab his position. A small fact he had neglected to tell Conner. And La'gaan hated to lose.  
He needed to get away, for the first time in his life he could honestly say that he needed some air. He swam as fast as he could, he left behind the gardens and arches at the center of Atlantis. He headed straight for the outskirts of the city. Here the lights didn't sparkle providing only basic illumination, here was we're the outcasts lived.  
La'gaan took a moment as he entered his old living grounds. Memories of his adventures here, people he knew. He felt a block that had been on his shoulder since he had come back suddenly lifted.  
He continued traveling but at a much slower speed, despite the almost eerie air he felt safe here.  
He floated past a building where a family of sirens were playing. The children smiled at La'gaan revealing their sharp teeth. La'gaan smiled back at them before heading down a side street, he headed for a red door that was old and beaten in.  
After his third knock La'gaan heard a loud crash followed by more crashes and a loud voice that was pounding toward the door. A mermaid who had crazy red hair and sleep deprived eyes threw the door open demanding to know who was knocking at this ungodly hour. She froze when she saw La'gaan with his half smile. Her squeal was loud enough to shatter La'gaan's hearing.  
"Oh my God! oh my god! oh my god! La'gaan look at you! It's been like a year since you've been to see me! Thats like a year! What is your problem! What's the surface world like?" And as she spoke (screamed) she kept alternating between a bone crushing hug and slaps on the arm.  
"It's good to see you too Sheeva." La'gaan gasped out between squeezes.  
"This place has been so boring without you around. Come in you have to see the house."  
Sheeva dragged him into the small cramped building, "Guess what I changed." She said throwing her arm in a grand gesture around the room. La'gaan glanced around the old building but as far as he could tell everything was the same from the cracks in the walls to the piles of clutter all over the room.  
"I Uhhhh, you got more paint?" La'gaan ventured.  
Sheeva grinned "Actually I haven't changed anything, just felt like making you guess."  
The Mermaid snagged La'gaan back into her arms again. "It's really good to see you again La'gaan."  
His smile was genuine as he let Sheeva squeeze him like a plush toy. Despite the fact that she was older than him he had always been the older brother, while she was the crazy younger sister.  
"So you absolutely have to tell me about the surface world, what it's like every detail leave nothing out. Wait I should get Blubber first. Be right back!" She was out the door before he could even begin a sentence.  
He wandered around the room for a while, it really hadn't changed. Even the banner that Sheeva and Blubber had put up during his going away party was still half on the wall hidden behind a new stack of boxes. On a side note, he should probably clean up the apartment. Back when they had always been together it was always him picking up after Blubbers experiments and Sheeva's latest surface craze.  
And it looked like without him around they hadn't picked up the slack. So La'gaan started cleaning up he didn't have enough time to really clean the way he might have liked. But enough to sit down comfortably anyways.  
He only wanted to lie down for a few seconds clear his head. But after stretching out on he couch he blacked out in under a minute. When Sheeva returned pulling Blubber behind her, complaining all the way. It was to a sleeping La'gaan.  
Sheeva ignored Blubbers complaints about dragging him away from his work at the *critical stage* and how *months of research had been wasted* and instead just sat and watched La'gaan sleep. A year is a very long time to stay away escpescially for best friends. But Sheeva couldn't help but notice how much La'gaan had changed, it wasn't just his clothes. But his hair his face he looked older than when he left, and he now had scars covering different parts of his body like demented tattoos.  
Despite his older appearance La'gaan now slept curled inward as if he was afraid of attack. It made him seem younger than ever before. Older and younger,  
"What has the surface done to you La'gaan?" Sheeva whispered as she traced a fading scar running down the side of his chest.  
Something that even Blubber noticed long enough to stop complaining and actually look at La'gaan he muttered a quite profanity before he slid out of the room to grab his personal x-ray.  
"Just want to make sure nothing's broken that's all nothing broken." He grinned nervously before setting out.  
Sheeva stayed with La'gaan running his hair, she was worried and not just for him. Before today she hadn't seen Blubber in a month, and although the whale had always been overweight using his personal hover scooter to get around instead of swimming. He seemed to have lost pounds since the last time she saw him. Most people would say that's a good thing but Blubber ate when he was happy, and didn't eat when he was unhappy. And he looked very unhappy.  
Sheeva was the oldest by three years a prodigie of the magic arts, La'gaan was a surface warrior and Blubber who was the same age was one of the best in the atlantis science division.  
She couldn't help wondering what happened to them, how long had it been since they had acted their age. And exactly what was happening to La'gaan on the surface.  
She ran her hand thru La'gaan's hair causing him to mutter in his sleep.  
'Con? Stupid. moron.'  
Nothing he was whispering made sense and he soon fell even deeper asleep. Sheeva ran her hands thru his hair again hoping to get him to talk some more. This time he definitely muttered a name.  
'Conner.'  
Sheeva froze for a moment she thought she felt something. Some form of magic maybe? She placed her hand on his head and pushed deep. She didn't have to look far. Magic is like a finger print no two people can be the same and Sheeva knew this magic, she knew it very well.  
When Blubber returned with his hand held x-ray he found La'gaan sleeping alone. He just shrugged Sheeva was always doing weird things and running off with bad timing, he trusted she would be back. He ran the machine over La'gaan's chest and chuckled when La'gaan frowned in his sleep.  
At the end of the day he was just happy La'gaan was home where he belonged. Back when they met a desire to see the surface had pushed them together as odd ball friends he would have given anything to see the surface, they all would have. But know Blubber didn't want to lose his only friends. And if the surface killed La'gaan he would kill it right back. It wouldn't be too difficult. Blubber whistled a happy tune as he tossed his machine on a random pile in the room. He would wait for La'gaan to wake up.  
Sheeva quickly swam thru the old districts heading for the center of Atlantis. A cold fury burned in her chest. Her plan was non-existent all she knew was that someone had cast some form of charm over La'gaan and she was going to kill her self a charm caster, or at least severely maim. It depends on what exactly the charm does she supposed.  
She was expected a gaurd brought her into a large bed chamber before him and all of the other servants were excused. The door had barely closed before Sheeva made her challenge she wasn't one to waste time.  
"What have you done to La'gaan!" Sheeva exclaimed.  
Queen Mera regarded her with a smile, clearly amused with her.  
"I'm repaying an old debt." She responded.  
Sheeva was a little confused at the calm manner the Queen was putting off but quickly jumped on the offer.  
"I wan't you to stop."  
Mera smiled even bigger "But you don't even know what I'm doing."  
“I don’t care.”  
“Oh, and if the spell was keeping him alive. What would you do then. Tell me.”  
Sheeva scowled it was true she had tried to determine what the spell was before she left, but the spell had been protected by a shield too powerful for her to see through. That had been the final piece of proof that meant it was Mera's spell beyond anyone else's.  
"How about I'll tell you what I'm doing and if you still want me to stop when I'm done I will." Mera offered.  
"If your telling the truth." Sheeva muttered.  
Mera laughed to a joke only she understood. "I'll tell the truth, and when I'm done not only are you going to let me continue your going to help me."  
"We'll see about that." Sheeva challenged. "Tell me everything."

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So to recap, Sheeva and Blubber are shown as La'gaan's only friends in the comic book. Also in the comic book they all go to New York and wander around terrorizing people by accident. Hehehehe. Still funny today


	7. Sheeva and tea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sheeva has tea with the queen and hates every second of it.

Chapter 7: Sheeva  
The silence was unbearable the only sound in the room was the light clinking of a tea cup as Mera placed it back on the table. Sheeva was trying to push down the unease she felt. Things weren't going the way she thought they would, Mera wasn't even watching her the Queen's attention was focused on what was left of her drink. Sheeva was feeling colder with every passing second.  
"Tell me Sheeva how much do you know about La'gaan?" Mera asked.  
"I'm not here to play games Your Highness." Mera ignored the Mermaid and continued.  
"Do you know anything about his past? Or have you allowed yourself to trust someone who's history you know nothing about?" There was a tone of dissapointment in the Queens voice.  
Sheeva balled her hands into fists her knuckles turning white. She knew the Queen was playing some kind of game but what could she do about it? Sheeva glared at the Queens winning smile, this wasn't going well.  
Kill her. Attack her now and stop whatever she's doing to La'gaan. There was a quite lull in the room almost as if Mera was waiting for Sheeva to decide whether she wanted to talk or fight. But that smile as if the Queen already knew what Sheeva would decide.  
Any match up of sorcery was heavily in the Queens favor. And she had the feeling that even if she could get the jump on her the Queen would be no pushover. But did she really want to talk?  
'Not only are you going to let me continue your going to help me.' That's what Mera said and the Queen always kept her word.  
But if she was dead. She couldn't possibly hurt La'gaan, there was the small matter of what would happen to Sheeva herself if she somehow managed to kill the Queen in the middle of the palace. But she would do anything for La'gaan there was no question no doubt.  
If the Queen wanted to play dirty, Sheeva would kill her.  
No, Sheeva didn't want the Queen to talk but she didn't have a choice.  
"What is the point of this. I didn't come here for you to waste my time, or maybe you just can't help yourself." Sheeva glared at her trying to cover up the rising fear that coming here was playing right into the Queens hands.  
Mera gave her a single withering glance her smile cracking.  
"I never waste time dear. This will only take a moment." Mera put her smile back on.  
“Let me tell you where La’gaan came from.”

Sheeva slowly shut the door to her house. It was almost morning but Sheeva wasn't tired her body buzzing with fear and shame about what she was going to do. The Mermaid stared at the sleeping La'gaan on the couch, he looked his age when he was asleep not even 18 years old. Blubber was half slumped in a chair on the other side of the room, a ray gun clutched in his tired hands his quite snore the only sound.  
Sheeva checked that both he and Blubber were out of it before preparing for what she had to do. She grabbed a chair and a rag placing the rag on La'gaan's forehead and putting the chair by the couch she stared at La'gaan for a bit longer hoping to prolong the inevitable, but she had only a few hours till he woke up and couldn't put it off for long, and finally she pulled deep within herself her blue magic dancing on her fingertips. And with only a second of hesitation placed her hands on La'gaan's forehead.  
His body jerked when her hands touched him his body pulling taught and his mouth opening in a soundless scream Sheeva winced as La'gaan's silent pain got worse, but refused to close her eyes. She deserved to be punished for what she was doing, even if there was no other way. And the heart wrenching agony of knowing she was the one responsible for this was a punishment. The young Atlantean's body started shaking on the couch his small body fluttering suffering spasms from the pain, Sheeva was forced to stop and get a grip on herself before she threw up. When she placed her hands back on La'gaan the reaction was twice as bad.  
But what broke her was La'gaan's silent plea for help she could see on his lips as he whispered names that could stop the pain he was suffering through and his hand that was fisted in Sheeva's clothes seeking comfort from the one that brought his pain.  
Sheeva closed her eyes her tears leaking out.  
Eventually it was over, La'gaan's sweat soaked body was shivering on the couch and Sheeva threw a blanket over him before going to sit down in a corner. She chose the only corner in the room where she couldn't see La'gaan.  
There was only an hour until the sun rose, and Sheeva spent it crying.

La'gaan's P.O.V.  
He would never get over how impressive the Zeta buildings were in Atlantis, he still thought they were a massive waste of resources but Atlantean's teleported in style. La'gaan set the coordinate's for the base and started walking away.  
The young Atlantean glanced back at his friends that were waving goodbye, Blubber giving him a conspirator wink and a smile that looked real and a little dark, as he slipped him a new going away invention, which was some sort of key chain... maybe? He thanked Blubber as he put it in his pocket.  
And then there was Sheeva who had somehow gotten the Queen to leave him alone, he couldn't ask for better friends, he gave her a tight hug.  
Out of everything that happened he was glad he had friends like these to come back too, even though Sheeva seemed a little out of it, he gave them a cheery goodbye before stepping back into his old life.  
As soon as he arrived he took a second to get used to the air, his red eyes taking in the room around him. La'gaan the teenager stayed in Atlantis, La'gaan the soldier had returned. The young Atlantean was not at all surprised that there was no one here to welcome him home, to be honest most of the people probably hadn't noticed he was gone. He walked thru the crowded corridors giving a few polite Hi's whenever people acknowledged him, the only person who stopped him so they could talk was Artemis.  
"Your different lately." She announced. Artemis swept her steel eyes over La'gaan before settling them back on his face. "You've been a lot happier and I don't now why." The archer concluded, she made a strange face almost like she was scowling at herself as if it would motivate her into figuring it out.  
"Well I just got back from Atlantis that always puts me in a good mood, and I had a chance to see my old friends." La'gaan shrugged not quite sure what Artemis had meant by being happier, he felt the same as always.  
The blond shrugged back before walking off, leaving La'gaan sorely confused. He wandered around a bit if anyone asked he was just enjoying home no one asked. But in reality he was looking for one black haired Kryptonian, he checked all the usual places but it didn't seem like he was around, and he didn't want to ask about him that seemed like crossing a line that would instantly alert the whole team that he liked Conner. Eventually he went to his room, planning on changing and then hitting the gym.  
As soon as he opened the door to his room he both tripped kicked and hit himself. Conner was stretched out on his bed his shirt was probably in a corner because he wasn't wearing one. La'gaan is a stronger man the most and he did not end up staring at the shirtless Conner like an idiot, he did stare, but not like an idiot.  
Conner smiled at him before leaping off the bed and giving him a hug.  
"About time you got back, I've been camped out in your room since last night and your room is really boring. Can't you put a tv in here or something?" Conner half glared half smiled at the La'gaan squished in his arms, he was still upset that La'gaan had just left without saying anything, but it wasn't like they made an agreement to always say where they we're going. And even if he did have a contract like that La'gaan would never sign it. And he missed him, the Atlantean was good company. He didn't want to waste time arguing with him right now. Escpescially after what happened with Barbara this morning. The exact details were a bit blurry on that.  
La'gaan was not thinking about how he had left Conner hanging without an explanation his mind wasn't even aware that the door was open and they were slightly in the corridor. He just knew that he really liked these hugs. That means that when he wasn't wearing a shirt and Conner wasn't wearing a shirt hugs could be really warm, and if La'gaan had to be honest with himself he had missed Conner a lot more than he thought he would.  
The Atlantean allowed Conner to snuggle him in the empty hallway, but only because Conner wanted to he was a man and therefore snuggling was beneath him. But if Conner wanted too, that was fine. La'gaan gave a happy sigh as Conner made a rubbing motion with his hand on his back.  
"Hey guys." Barbara said as she walked past them. The rubbing stopped and La'gaan turned to see the red head who was busy with her phone not even looking at them as she sent out texts to both Cassie and Zatanna about how right she was.  
"It's so good to see you back La'gaan I was beginning to worry that Conner would be stuck in there waiting for you all week." She laughed at the Kryptonian when she said that.  
Both La'gaan and Conner blinked owlishly at her. She raised her phone and they both heard it make the click sound that meant she had taken a photo.  
"Thanks needed photo evidence. Well you two have fun." She wiggled her eyebrows at them and then she giggled. (there is nothing scarier than hearing a bat giggle) Barbara then walked away as if she hadn't noticed that La'gaan was wrapped up in Conner, with her usual polite wave before she wandered off.  
La'gaan immediately stiffened and tried getting out of Conner's arms his still mostly turned off brain trying to find a way to explain what was going on to her. Any form of reasonable half lie or at least catch her and beg her silence. But Conner refused to let go and instead he turned around and dragged La'gaan into his room shutting the door.  
"Conner we have to stop her! She's gonna tell and then, no! We have to stop her!" La'gaan was frantically trying to get around Conner who just stood in front of the door.  
"Why won't you move?" La'gaan whined.  
Conner went from looking stern to sheepish and slightly apologetic as he began stumbling his reply that was a lot of whispering and muttering but La'gaan got the picture. Basically Conner said.  
"Barbara already knows, I kinda accidentally told her." Conner admitted.  
La'gaan blinked twice "How do you even manage to do that." the Atlantean's voice was low and quite, but his eyes were on fire.  
"She tricked me." Conner grumbled. "She came in here and she tricked me. She kept going on about a bet and then she said you were dating Cassie and I got confused and then... I'm sorry."  
"But she already said she wouldn't tell so you don't have to worry about it." Conner finished.  
That was the wrong thing to say,  
Conner could see the rage bubbling up underneath La'gaan's skin, this wasn't good. Just then Conner realized he had moved forwards his arms wrapping around La'gaan before he could explode, and somehow he was whispering in La'gaan's ear that everything would be okay. It wasn't a conscience decision for him to do that. But that was one of the reasons he liked La'gaan when they were together he always felt better things like this he didn't have to think about like he usually would.  
"Don't worry we will figure this out, I promise." Conner whispered into his ear.  
And La'gaan relaxed into his touch.  
Conner wasn't stupid, he knew how badly this could upset La'gaan he also knew how to stop it. Without letting La'gaan go he walked him to the bed he carefully put him down and climbed in next to him.  
They fell asleep together wrapped up in eachother a mismatch of muscles and sharp angles. It was hard and the bed was too small and altogether painful sleeping in the same bed was perfect. They both fell asleep wrapped up in the other person Conner had his arms wrapped around La'gaan's chest like he was a large plush toy, and La'gaan had both of his hands in Conners hair.  
They weren't happy they were content.

And still on the counter the snow globe gave a shine but this time more than one person was watching them, deep beneath the sea in a cave three people watched them.  
The old hag danced around her globe hacking and cackling to no one in particular about how right she was how very right. Her clothes were torn and tattered and her face warped by blemishes and warts. Even her smile loped like a misshapen scowl.  
Sheeva grimaced and tried to put more space between herself and the old woman not understanding how Mera could be so unaffected by the old woman. Mera was just staring at the screen watching the two of them sleep.  
"They need another push, their not quite right the way they are. Fix it Hagartha." Mera said to the woman dressed in rags.  
The old woman gave a despondent whine "But Hagartha tired. Boys too stupid."  
Mera didn't reply and after a few seconds the old woman sighed and began summoning a spell, in the room the snow globe shimmered with an internal light before going dark once again. The two teenagers shivered in their sleep.  
Mera nodded her approval and turned to leave the cavern Sheeva following right behind her. Everything was working for know exactly as Queen Mera planned it.  
All that remained was for the two of them to become a little bit closer, and then nothing short of death would bring them apart. And please let that happen soon, she was a Queen not a matchmaker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I apologize for the time it took for this to get out. I have no good excuse and therefore put myself in the shame corner.


	8. Dating for reals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> La’gaan realizes his team loves him the way his arc should have been from the beginning

La’gaan needed damage control. Barbara promised not to tell anyone but for some reason that didn't help in the slightest. It may have been her smirk or the fact that she was a bat and they lie through their teeth on a regular occasion or it was the fact that most of the female members of the team had taken to giggling every time he walked past. But that was probably just his paranoia talking. And even if she had told it still wasn't even the real problem that he had to deal with right now the real problem that was staring him in the face that had black hair blue eyes and weighed... A lot more than Barbara.  
"There's no way that were doing that."La'gaan said flatly.  
"But why not? It's not like anyone will know." Connor said his wide blue eyes made him look like he was innocent and sweet. He wasn't. "It'll be a secret." La'gaan just shook his head, now refusing to look at the clone directly.  
Connor gave a dramatic humph before he grumbled "Fine." La'gaan grinned, he liked Conner like this, not the whining or when he admits he lost (Though he kinda liked those too) but just when he was there and he looked at La'gaan and you could see he cared really cared about La'gaan in a non friend way. It was a new experience for La'gaan that he would never get tired of, and he liked winning.  
(And a small part of him was afraid that he already liked Conner every kind of way but that thought scared him more than he liked so La’gaan carefully tucked that thought away)  
"Can we do it once a week?" Connor asked smiling at him with a light in his eyes... Stupid eyes.  
The Atlantean went back to frowning."No."  
"Why not?" Connor asked again, the light in his eyes flickered and faded La'gaan was upset, he wasn't sure if he was upset that Conner was being stubborn or that his eyes weren't smiling anymore.  
"Because it's stupid and we'll get caught." La'gaan replied. "Besides why do you even want to sleep together, the beds are too small for the both of us to share anyways."  
"It worked fine last night." Connor pointed out, La'gaan still refused to look. Because it was more than fine last night, it was almost as if the whole universe had shifted to declare that he finally belonged somewhere but that wasn't the point.  
"Forget about it. We can't do that again.... yet." La'gaan wished he was as certain as he sounded because if Connor kept asking he would end up giving in. It was like there was a part of him that craved the time he had with Conner every little moment and it got all happy and giggly with just the idea of getting to sleep together, if that part of him were to come to life it would probably be a baby guppy. He wished the rest of him could come to life and beat the guppy part into submission.  
"But I want to do it again." Despite the very serious adult edge to the Kryptonian teen's voice you could still hear the whine, and even the way he sat on the bed with his arms folded and his eyes glaring with the smallest hint of a pout it wasn't hard to imagine he was still six.

La'gaan wasn't sure if it was a Kryptonian thing or a human thing (Or maybe it's just the actual age thing) that had Connor acting like a spoiled child at almost any given moment, the transformation from super hero to immature infant was still shocking, and Connor was still whining about sleeping together and like the five year old child he was! he wouldn't give up until he got it. And it wasn't like La'gaan didn't want too. He really wanted too. Really really wanted. It was just a stupid and bad idea because they would definitely get caught and that was something La'gaan refused to let happen.  
"No ones going to catch us, come on we're both masters of stealth and it would just be for ..like... one day a week."  
"We are not masters of stealth! We are the two most obvious members on the entire team." The Atlantean hissed.  
"That's why no one would suspect us." Connor grinned and nudged La'gaan's arm.  
That had to be the dumbest thing he had ever heard, and he turned to tell him that when Conner attached himself to his mouth, they had kissed before (once) and La'gaan had hit him for it and it was really more of a peck because Conner was afraid he would get hit for it (a valid concern) and it was nothing like this. This was fast with Conner pushing and pulling at his mouth until he finally pulled back for good leaving La'gaan gasping for breath and wondering who on earth he had practiced on because M'gann had never kissed like that and Conner had a smirk on his face that said he knew exactly what he had done.  
"So is one night a week good for you La'gaan?" Conner asked.  
La'gaan nodded dumbly his head still buzzing and his lips feeling a little sore, he was able to focus his eyes enough to see the Kryptonian staring at him and so he put the rest of his energy into making his best scowl Conner just grinned at him like an infuriating wall of muscle and La'gaan stopped trying to scowl at him, it wasn't working on him and his heart wasn't in it anyways.   
For the first time in his adolescent life La'gaan had his brains kissed out and no that was not a phrase M'gaan had taught him and yes he wanted it to happen again, he looked back at Conner who was now studying the wall as if nothing amazing and earth shattering had just happened a few seconds ago and La'gaan felt a little insulted that now Conner preferred the wall to him. And... he wanted another kiss!  
There was a few seconds of akward silence before La'gaan decided to hell with it and jumped forward sealing their lips together again, if he had to sleep with him and if he had to put up with his weirdness (and for La'gaan to call you weird is a major feat) he was getting more kisses, having reached this excellent conclusion he began (awkwardly) pushing into Conner. Other than pressing his lips against the other teens mouth though he didn't know what to do, the fact that he couldn't just kiss Conner the way he had kissed him was actually a little embarrassing and he didn't know why he would think that but it was probably Conners fault. But after a few moments it didn't matter anymore because Conner was kissing him back and this kiss was slower not fast but the need was there to be closer to let everything go and let there be just them. And the larger teen didn't push didn't make the earth shake like he did last time he just put his hands on he hips and held him there for a simpler kiss, La'gaan felt something weighing down on him and he realized that Conner was laying down on top of him and when did he even get on his back? and then the kiss got better kept only a few meters away from earth shattering with Conner lightly running his tounge over his lips every now and again. When suddenly Conner pulled away, La'gaan blinked in confusion a few times as he watched Conner straightening out his clothes and putting an obvious amount of space between them.  
"What are you..." La'gaan started to say but Conner cut him off  
"It's been an hour." He pointed at the clock  
“If I don’t hurry back people might suspect something.”   
La'gaan bit his lip not talking after all it was his idea to be secret and although he wanted to fight a part of him felt like this was his punishment, that he made for himself for Conner to leave after only one hour, even though he wanted to say forget the time were busy moving the earth and just stay a little longer because I don't want you to go. That's what he wanted to say but he wouldn't say it first. He didn't know why he wouldn't say it first, but it was an unspoken rule he couldn't ignore. So he sat up and watched the larger teen finish smoothing down his shirt and give La'gaan a single serious stare. From six years old to a soldier.  
"See you tonight La'gaan." Sharing beds, despite the idea still being just as stupid he didn't mind as much if Conner would be there to kiss him like that. He hoped he would get kissed like that, but maybe that was just the horny teen part of him talking. He watched as Conner quickly left the room and if you believe in poetic moments he watched his happiness leave as well.   
But that's really only if you believe in poetry.   
He also really hopes that he hadn't imagined the reluctance in Superboys step when he left, or the way it had looked almost for a second as if he was going to ask if he could stay.  
And just like that La'gaan realized that where Conner was concerned... He was weak, the kind of weak that would make him easy to beat to anyone who knew how to push the kind of weak that could stop him from ever becoming more in Atlantis. 

He also realized that even though this revelation greatly upset him his reflection in the mirror was smiling because after all Conner was coming back tonight, and even though no one was there to see him smile he changed it to a scowl.  
Because La'gaan... He really hated baby guppies, and there was no point in encouraging its growth.

"I can't keep letting this happen too me." La'gaan said his face pushed into the couch.  
Barbara nodded her head in agreement, her head stuck in a magazine on Gothams latest fashion styles, she claimed she only read it to keep track of the numerous super villains connected to the business.  
"It's just so hard to be normal around him. And if I can't be normal then people will find out."  
"Mmmmm"  
"It feels like I'm dating a five year old with incredible abs."  
"Mmmmhmmmm." Barbara glanced at La'gaan from the corner of her eye.  
"That sounded really weird didn't it?."  
"Yep."  
"It's all Conners fault."  
"Mmmhmm."  
"Him and and."  
"And." Barbara repeated  
"No you don't get it, he's like the world smartest most immature idiot."  
Barbara gave him a flat look. "I dated Dick. I get it."  
La'gaan shifted on he couch feeling very uncomfortable as Batgirl continued to stare at him with soulless eyes. He was already feeling a little embarrassed about everything he had said, and she had made it clear that she was incredibly uninterested in anything he had said in the past few hours but in his defense who was he supposed to talk too she was the only one who knew. Hopefully.  
"Well I have to go now." La'gaan muttered as he began sliding of the couch, looking like a bad Elvis imitation. Barbara just hummed in acceptance as he left the room, the door hadn't even closed before she was whacking herself on the head. How could she have been so blind, she had assumed that La'gaan didn't want her talking to everyone else because he was a guy dating a guy and guys can be stupid like that, what she hadn't expected was a lifetime of repressed urges and living in a society that was all backwards, and here she thought Atlantis was a more advanced city.  
No, she had assumed she knew better than that she was Batgirl, she didn’t assume she knew or she didn’t know, her mind was already in overdrive smoothing out the wrinkles in her knew La'gaan X Conner plan less photos more secrets and maybe borrow the jet... Yes, she'd need the jet. Now she was glad that La'gaan had chosen her for a three hour life history and emotional problem rant because she could have made things a whole lot worse for him by herself. As it was she already had major damage control on that picture she took.  
But that wouldn't be too hard, after all half the people she showed it too still thought she had faked the thing, all she had to do was get them all to believe that without actually saying so, and then find La'gaan such a perfect straight cover that no one would doubt it for a moment. Again she was really glad that La'gaan was nice enough to give her his life story a little foolish but nice, now she just needed to call Atlantis (Speed dial number 5 after Batman her Dad the President and cute Jason from school (not sports Jason or tall Jason, though they weren't half bad) and find this Sheeva person.

Conner's POV  
"I'm afraid that I'll mess things up with him. I don't even really know what to do when I'm with him, we can't go hang out and he refuses to be any where near me when any of our teammates are around, which is always. And I just don't know anything." Conner said his voice as flat as usual, but he was glaring holes into his hands.  
M'gann didn't say anything mostly because she knew it was true, and saying comforting words when the reality was bleak had never been either of there strong points, in fact it was one of the things they always had in common.  
"What if this thing we have, me and La'gaan what if it can't work? What am I supposed to do then."  
"There's nothing to worry about, you and La'gaan are the most stubborn people I know, you'll be fine."  
"We can't be fine."  
"Why not."  
"I kissed him today."  
M'gann froze for a second before she forced a shrug. "So what's the problem?"  
"There wasn't a problem, that is the problem." Conners hands were in the air as if he was trying to grab the words that could make her understand how bad this was.  
"I don't understand." It didn't work.  
"What am I supposed to do if it doesn't work?"  
"It will work."  
"But if it doesn't." He insisted.  
M'gann frowned and started pulling at her hair, it was a nervous habit she had picked up at school but Conner decided not to call her on it. "Pick yourself up and carry on." she said.  
"Is that what you did?"  
M'gann's hands fell from her hair, she wasn't ready for such a direct question. It wasn't even like Conner to ask that question. She slowly shook her head no.  
Conners voice was almost too quite. "I'm sorry." but M'gann's voice was only in her head when she said "no I'm sorry."  
There wasn't any words after that.

That night Conner would crawl into La’gaan’s bed and silently pull the smaller atlantean against him, and La’gaan would huff in annoyance before settling down both of them afraid to break this new silence between them. A comfortable silence where they both ease off into sleep. And in the morning La’gaan would hesitantly turn to Conner and say   
“This was fine, so if you wanted you could keep, you know coming.” La’gaan’s hands flutter nervously and pointlessly as he avoids staring directly at Conner.   
“I already was gonna do that.”  
“More than once a week though.”   
Conner reached out and quickly grabbed his hands rubbing them both just above the knuckles before grinning head already nodding too fast to be cool.   
“Yeah.”  
“Cool.”  
Super cool.   
Conner smiled large and brilliant and La’gaan felt everything in his life was worth that smile. A perfect moment until Conner said,  
“I’m gonna decorate your room.”  
“What?”  
“Your room is like super lame, I’m gonna decorate the hell out of it.”  
La’gaan had a brief memory of the madness that was Conners room with pictures haphazardly placed on every surface and memories displayed, more than just a place to sleep he thinks he would really like it.  
“Touch my room and I will drown you SuperFish.”   
“But it’s so boring!”  
“It’s a room not a coral reef it’s just supposed to have my bed.”   
“... Since when am I a SuperFish?”  
La’gaan tried to smother a Kryptonian with a pillow like many super villains before him it really doesn’t work.   
Conner pulled back face blank as the pillow valiantly attempts to kill him and went into a spiel about the importance of expressing your own individuality in a safe place. And La’gaan thought that a bunch of pictures crammed on his wall and a Kryptonian in his bed would be... perfect.

Naturally perfect only takes a week to fall apart.

 

Conner was impatiently tapping his foot on the floor because La'gaan was late again. It was apparently way too much to ask for the Atlantean to show up on time.  
The door hissed open and the Atlantean hesitantly walked into the room, he tried smiling but gave up as Conners scowl deepens. "Sorry I'm late I was running a last check at the mission and found a whole army of, stuff, and then there was misssiles and you know more stuff."  
Conner didn't stop frowning, La'gaan coughed into his hand and began nervously studying the walls of the room. It was still his bedroom that they met up in, but it was significantly different in the time they'd been 'together' the walls had been painted a pale blue and his shelves had a collection of surface nicknacks, most of them were presents from Conner but when the other team mates noticed that he had a collection they made sure to add a few nice pieces. Even though Impulse only ever donated cheese whizzies to his collection. His bed was now larger taking up more space in his room (Although the bed had been a present from Conner as well nobody knew that part) and despite the short time they had been... well really dating there were still a few incredibly akward moments captured on photo hanging on the wall.  
Conner took a step forward and wrapped his arms around La'gaan.   
"Careful your gonna break my spine like that" the Atlantean joked as Conner squeezed him harder really he was just happy that Conner wasn't mad at him. Because he knew that technically he deserved it every time they had agreed to get together in the past week La'gaan had blown him off for some reason or another even though technically it was always a mission he could have found a way to see Conner if he really wanted. And he did feel bad about doing it, but he had still done it, because the need to see Conner was like something alive under his skin, twisting up his insides and for all that La’gaan was learning to live and breath the Clone, parts of him still couldn’t accept what this was. How it took away his ability to breath, La’gaan had never felt like this before and this feeling terrifies him as much as he can’t live without it.

After he was released from the bone crushing grip they got down to buisness, mostly just catching up, who had done what... And kissing. But also catching up, actually they had gotten pretty scary domestic in the time they had been together there wasn't alot of fumbling around eachother just old comfortableness, maybe it's a side effect of having a relationship limited to one room. Which is way La'gaan was very surprised when he leaned into Conner on the bed and he didn't lean back. Instead he pulled out his com and started paging thru the messages "Sheeva is coming back for a visit tommorow" Conner showed him the message she had sent his com  
'HI! getting bored under the sea so I decided to pay a visit to my favorite boys :) Se ya soon XXX'  
La'gaan smiled when he say the message "'See ya soon with three kisses' If I didnt know any better I'd say she really liked you" even with his head against Conners chest he knew the other teen was smirking "Who said you knew better?" the other teen challenged.  
La'gaan pretended to think about it "Well, for starters she's my friend and not yours.” Conner just humphed before he wrapped his arms tightly around La'gaan's chest. "Should I be worried then? She seemed pretty attached to you last time she visited." Conner snickered at the memory and La'gaan blushed. Sheeva looked like a run way model when she was having a bad day, and when Barbara had suggested to bring her to the surface for the first time she looked even more striking than usual. And everyone's jaws including Superboy's had hit the ground when she had rushed past them all and attacked La'gaan while screaming at the top of her lungs "Sweetie Pie! I missed you sooooooo much!" it was the only time she had been to the surface but after that she just called the base once a week to say hi and suddenly everyone thought he had a girlfriend thanks to Barbara and La'gaan didnt worry so much that he would be exposed or that his friend's would hate him for dating Conner or that Barbara would tell on him, not that it worked, based on the fact that Nightwing pulled him aside to tell him that it’s ok to date more than one person at a time if everyone was open and honest and   
“Polygamous relationships are a beautiful thing but it needs hard work and mental condoms to make it work.” Nightwing said wide eyes pleading behind his mask.

La’gaan had surprised himself more by replying that he was fine with just Conner. Nightwing snorted and clapped La’gaan in the shoulder before reminding him he had comm duty. 

It was a mile stone for him, he realized that some people didn't care who he was dating and that he had friends on and off the team that really were looking out for him. He still didn’t come forward and admit anything but he stopped pretending that Conner was a burden he put up with, and soon the team knew that the chair next to Conners was his, and dating became both easier and harder.  
There were ups and downs but they couldn't complain in fact the only problem they had was 'what to do now'. There relationship was getting too big, you think when your dating you can keep it a secret forever if you want but you reach a point when you get sick of pretending where you need to be with someone more for the relationship to work, they had reached that point it was something they both knew and refused to talk about. Instead they both just starred at the ceiling.  
It was Conner who broke the silence "I should go.”  
he got up and heading for the door as he said "Wolf is probably going to start whining if I don't feed him soon.” as Conner was leaving the room he stopped and turned around "You wanna come with me, you know Wolf always likes it when you hang out with us." His voice was a little too low and hopeful.   
It reminds La’gaan of the sea.  
"You know, yeah that would be good.” La'gaan said.   
Conner just nodded his head and quietly left the room.  
La'gaan threw himself out of the bed and quietly sidled up to his clone who was radiating a smug satisfaction.  
He starred at his collection of nicknacks on his shelf and as usual his eyes focused on one piece in particular the snow globe it sat like a treasure in the middle of his collection it was his first gift from Conner it was special. He focused on the snow globe for a few second before he reached a strange conclusion, he was almost killed every day on the surface he fought aliens, zombies, super villains, terrorists, so why not risk his life for Conner too, why not risk your life for something that made his life so much happier to live. Besides even if he was exposed they couldn’t send him away. For the first time La’gaan felt connected to his team in a way he didn’t before, that his problem would be there problem. That they would step in if he needed it.  
He bumped shoulders with superboy and let the moment carry on. For once everything in the day seemed not perfect but perfect because everything that mattered he had in spades.

Sheeva's P.O.V.  
Today was the day, she was sick of what she was still helping to do and she felt so ashamed she had ever agreed to help Queen Mera. She knew the end result could be good, would be good, but she couldn't keep betraying La'gaan like this not when he trusted her. It wouldn't be impossible for her to save him now just harder.  
The snow globe was designed with multiple spells from numerous origins it was a very powerful relic, and like all the most powerful relics it was powered by love. It needed it fed off of it consumed it, and that's what made her so sick because when the snow globe activated it would literally suck the love out of them Conner and La'gaan it would suck them dry they would end up friends but no more. Mera had insisted she shouldn't care about what would happen to them that because manipulating their emotions had been necessary to bring them together it would simply return them to the way they had been before all of this started. No harm no foul.  
But Sheeva had been busy these past weeks she had studied everything she could about the snow globe and emotional manipulation but quietly so as not to let anyone now. And what she had learned about emotion control was that it couldn't force people to fall in love or get together, it could help but the capacity had to already be there, they already had to be capable had to be already caring for the other person for it to work. She didn't care if emotion control brought them together she wouldn't see them torn apart by her hand, even if it meant that the relic might never be charged and she couldn't save La'gaan's people from their fate she could still save La'gaan. With that thought in mind she stepped through the teleporter toward the surface.  
Her last thought 'How the Neptunes Beard am I suposed to destroy an ancient mystic relic!?'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m excited to have this to share to  
> Make this I can’t wait!!!!


	9. The Truth is Painful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For all that not much happens here it took me a long time to be happy with it.

There was smart and then there was stupid. And then there was really really stupid. Sheeva had planned her visit to the surface so that she wouldn't have to actually see La'gaan or Conner they might not even knew she was there, that was smart, she had used a spell to make sure that both the Queen and her witch Hagartha would be a little distracted while she was here, that was also smart. 

But she had been so worried about La'gaan and Conner she forgot about thinking up a reason to explain to everyone else about why she was even here and why they shouldn't call La'gaan to tell him she was here that was stupid. And then there was the small matter of the fact that now that she was actually in his room after greeting and lying to everyone in the base actually staring at the thing she realized she had absolutely no idea how to destroy it didn't even know where to really begin. 

That was really really stupid.

Sheeva walked over to it carefully inspecting it with her eyes before deciding she'd just take it somewhere and hit it with something a good plan the details would be sorted out later. She reached out to grab it but as soon as her hads touched it it gave off a flash that tore through the skin of her palms she immediately let it go screaming in pain and surprise. She blew on her aching hands her magic soothing the pain and beginning to knit the skin back together, as soon as the pain subsided she glared back up at the snow globe sitting innocently on the desk. What was that! It just zapped her how had no one noticed anything strange about it! Unless of course it was just her... 'This will be harder than I hoped.' Sheeva thought. She moved toward it again but this time she began a slow chant under her breath she could feel a wall of protection swirling around herself growing stronger and stronger until finally her body humming with power she confidently stepped forward and grabbed the globe but again her hands hadn't even barely grazed it before the globe tore through her barriers like they were air and Sheeva hastily removed her hands bitting back another scream.   
That barrier was the strongest she could manage and it was nowhere near enough, Sheeva let out an all suffering sigh this might take a while she just hoped that she could finish before Conner and La'gaan got back from training with the league. Sheeva reached back out and seized the globe attempting to tear it from the shelf before it burned her hands off.

 

In the WatchTower  
La'gaan took the water bottle from Conners outstretched hand greedily drinking down more than half of it before he removed the bottle from his lips, Conner just stared at him for a moment too long before he took a sip of his own bottle. La'gaan frowned at him before standing up and stretching trying to keep his muscles from falling asleep, he had barely started when he noticed Conner was watching him very intently. "Not at the tower." La'gaan muttered quietly as he stretched. Conners mouth twitched and he focused his eyes on his bottle then the floor then the wall then back to La'gaan where they stayed. The Atlantean continued as if he didn't notice him watching and kept stretching his back.

The Snow Globe  
Sheeva was pacing the room like mad trying to think of something some spell she could use a loop hole that might exist that could help her break that thing, to help her touch that thing. She ran her hand along her jaw as she paged threw her memories like the pages of a book her excellent memory is what had made her an excellent student and now it would help her help La'gaan, because there had to be something that she had seen or heard that could help her right now. she made a checklist in her head everytime she figured something out it made the list. 

1 The orb was protected from her by modern magic so the globe wasn't doing it and it didn't have the Queens signature so probably Hagartha. Did she have any weaknesses? Sheeva didn't know and even if she did it probably wouldn't help her now anything else? 

2 The room smells, not helpful but true. 

3 The orb is a relic from the time of Archaic magic, and Archaic magic was so different from modern magic that mixing the two usually ended in explosions and screaming and death. 

4 The orb is being protected by modern magic so where’s the explosions? 

5 If she remembered her classes correctly (and she always did) the best way to mix the two would be to make the modern magic as specific as possible therefore the odds of the two different magics mixing together was lowered. 

And if it was specific than it probably was only protected from her and that made sense she was the only one other than the Queen and Hagartha who knew about it, that also meant she just needed to find someone else to do it for her. 

And there was only one person on the surface who knew about La'gaan and Conner. Sheeva quickly left the room trying not to look like she was rushing as she began looking for Barbara and she knew she had to hurry if La'gaan found out what she had done what she was doing he would never forgive her.

Back at the Watch Tower  
"So then I said, thats not a whale thats my wife!" Aquaman exclaimed. La'gaan laughed at the joke along with the others but maybe a bit too loudly. Aquaman chuckled 'after all that was his best joke' before he started to nervously shuffle his feet on the floor everyone in the group was feeling akward thanks to the elephant in the corner or rather Kryptonian in the corner. Because beside from a few comments and greetings he hadn't talked to any of the people standing in the room and he hadn't stopped looking at La'gaan, his face was set in half defiance and half desire. The only person who hadn't stopped to stare at him with a big question mark on their face was La'gaan who seemed blissfullly unaware of the attention as he continued his conversations but inside he was not happy. But La’gaan had always been good at playing the self absorbed fool. 

Back on Earth  
Sheeva was not pleased with how things were turning out she wasn't sure what made her more upset Batgirl's off putting almost aggresive demeanor when compared to how she was used to being treated or the fact that she had been relegated to the back seat as Barbara ignored everything she said and ran her own tests on the Globe.  
"Were wasting time you need to destroy it before it can cause any permanent harm." Sheeva said, Barbara ignored her and continued typing things on her arm Sheeva bit back her annoyance by focusing on the fact that she needed her to help La'gaan and tried again  
"We need to have this done before anyone knows anything ever happened, please La'gaan could be here any minute." 

At that Barbara snapped her head around to glare at her "La'gaan deserves to know what happened to him, he does not deserve to have his head screwed with by someone he thought was his friend... He deserves to know, Conner too." Barbara nodded her head to herself making a promise that she would tell them when she saw them next, as Sheeva shamefully hung her head, but for know she needed to get rid of this.   
"So do I just smash it against the ground?" Barbara questioned, Sheeva was still pulling at her hands from Barbaras outburst but she shook her head 'no' "Only a spell can properly destroy it without causing any damage to either of them" Sheeva explained "this must be done properly. Or we'll cause more damage than this thing ever could, now say exactly what I tell you."

In Space

La'gaan roughly shoved Conner into the room. "What is wrong with you" La'gaan hissed "what the hell do you think your doing?" La'gaan demanded his voice was louder than he wanted but then he reminded himself he was too angry at Conner too care. 

Conner just glared at him superior and aloof as if making La'gaan angry meant that he already won, that glare made La'gaan furious made him want to wipe that smirk off his face make him realize how bad this could be for both of them. But he didn't have the words everything he could think off he just knew would be met by Conners infuriating silence, and in those seconds he had moved his arm back and he hit him. 

A solid hit that connected with a loud crack Conner looked as surprised as La'gaan felt and La'gaan had the fleeeting thought that they might have heard that through the door, it had been a while since they had been in a fight a real throwing punches fight and if the slow grin on Conners face was anything to go by this was going to be a very short fight.   
With a very long after care, La'gaan threw himself backwards his own lips tugging upwards as Conner ran full barrel towards him his adrenaline rushing as they stepped into sync.

The Girls

 

"Whats happening!" Barbara yelled over the wind rushing past her hair. Sheeva didn't bother answering she was too busy trying to figure out what was going on. 

1 It's bright  
2 It's loud  
3 Barbara must have messed something up.   
And as if Barbara had mind reading she chose that moment to yell  
"I did exactly what you said to the letter!" Sheeva took a moment to roll her eyes.   
No one seems to hear us screaming so maybe a field of some sort thrown around them, but from where? And why? That was important with magic finding out why was half the spell. But it was hard to think with all the flashing. The whirling around them suddenly stopped throwing them both to the ground and the girls found themselves standing in a golden city. "Where are we?" Barbara asked.   
Sheeva didn't know and she wouldn't bother saying she didn’t know because admitting that would be admitting weakness, and she was a bit occupied taking in every detail of the city she could have sworn she had seen it before but... Sheeva immediately had an idea she spun around and faced Barbara hand outstretched  
"Show me the Snow Globe I need to check something."   
For the first time probably in history Barbara looked guilty.  
"I dropped it."Barbara whispered, Sheeva knew she looked stunned but she couldn't help it that Globe could very well be the only way to reverse what ever had happened to them. On the positive side this place was amazing and now Sheeva might just get a house here prime realty she smiled at her own joke. "Where are we?" Barbara asked again more than a little annoyed about what was going on, like all bats she wasn't a fan of logic defying magic. Sheeva took another slow look around before she answered  
"I dont really know." Sheeva admitted. Sheeva smiled at Barbara as Barbara frowned back.  
"Fine then we go that way." Barbara said as she pointed toward a large tower at the center of the city.  
“Why that way?”  
“Big creepy tower in the middle of the city usually equals bad guy lair.”  
She didn't wait for Sheeva to agree she just took off running Sheeva pushed the hair out of her eyes before folllowing behind her.

The Guys

"This is not the way super heroes are supposed to behave" Superman said as he walked in front of the two teens shaking his head in disaproval if you got rid of his Super suit you might think he was scolding his kids for skipping their homework, which he sorta was. Conner just glared at the ground with a rigid La'gaan standing next to him. Their fight hadn't lasted anywhere near long enough for one of them to be the winner something they both found irritating.   
And if their fight had gone on longer if Superman didn't have super hearing, La’gaan was pretty sure it would be totally out of there system and they would have moved on to kissing and groping. Because for some reason sparring always led to Conner wanting to kiss and grope. La’gaan only felt slightly shameful about how often he abused this.   
"The two of you are going to sort this out without hurting each other." Superman finished putting stress on the word without, Conner scoffed and La'gaan had to bite back his retort. "Don't sort it out then he will have to help you out." 

Superman added with a very Conner shapped grin as he pointed toward the Martian standing in the corner. After he left with J'on trailing silently behind him, both teens let out frustrated groans before glaring at each other. "this is your fault." They both said at the same time. "You hit me first!"  
"Only because you were being an idiot!" La'gaan retorted.   
Conner roughly shoved La'gaan sending him to the ground

"I'm not an idiot." Conner said his voice dangerously low. 

They stayed there for a few seconds sizing each other up before La'gaan stood back on his feet he almost fell doing it and Conner almost rushed forward to grab him before he remembered he was mad at La'gaan right now a funny thing to forget really.  
La'gaan looked around for a bit before he spoke "Do you really think they'll send in J'on?" He turned his head to the side a familiar grin playing at the corners of La'gaan's face.   
Conner replied before he even thought it through "Nah, they wouldn't dare, we'll probably just get another lecture from Supes and then they'll call it a night." La'gaan let his smile come out  
"But what if they have Batman do it?" he insisted, Conner smiled now the anger of a few moments ago beginning to dissolve as if it never happened.  
"I'd jump right through this window and go straight to Krypton. He'd never find me." They both started giggling it was more like stressful quiet laughing. They didn't have any questions with this, it was familiar.  
And then Conner’s face went serious “I think I’m in love with you.” 

La’gaan wanted to say that he thought he was in love too. That being in love with Conner was like loving the thrill of a fight, the feeling of freedom as your fist is in the air before the pain when it stops, like you can do anything. For the first time La’gaan felt invincible and wanted and first and all of it centered around that feeling in his chest of Conner.

La’gaan says “Well aren’t you a sappy minnow. Did you wake up on the right side of the bed for once chum?”

Conner rolls his eyes as he pulls La’gaan closer and the Atlantean lets Conner hold him there he briefly hoped they didn't have cameras wondered what they would like if they did, but at the same time he was past caring.

...The Wandering  
Barbara and Sheeva had long passed the point of exhaustion. The streets seemed to stretch on forever and the only thing keeping Barbara upright was the knowledge that she had a one up on Nightwing because there was no way he had ever done this before, it was a petty thought but it kept her going. 

Sheeva although completely unaware of Barbara's thoughts did see her grin and Sheeva suddenly had the thought that they would never get there because even though they had been walking for some time the tower seemed as far away as when they started she could be stuck here with Barbara the rest of her life never ending city streets and Barbara for the rest of eternity. Sheeva shuddered hoping to draw herself away from Barbara, it wasn't a pleasent thought.

They wandered on for what seemed to be another hour before Barbara put a hand out stopping Sheeva before she quickly pulled her out of sight. Barbara crouched down behind the wall her hands going to her belt. Sheeva was about to ask what was wrong when she heard it, it was almost like a low drumming noise that someone would make at the back of thier throat. And it was coming closer, Barbara threw her cape around Sheeva and pushed her into a shadow shielding them both from sight it couldn't have been more than a few seconds before the mass came like oil spilling down the street, the black substance washed right by them heading further down the street, it turned a corner and disappear'd from sight Sheeva hadn't even breathed a sigh of relief before it returned and this time it stopped directly across from them, an icy chill went down both their backs as the oil seemed to stare at them. Barbara pushed herself off the wall both of her hands suddenly carrying gadgets and devices.

"I don't suppose you know what that is right." Barbara asked in a sarcastic tone as she twirled one of her knives confidently in her hand. Sheeva was about to reply in the negative when the oil began to take shape in front of them by the time Sheeva's mouth opened she was saying something else entirely.  
"Hagartha!" Sheeva cried out. The witch gave a throaty cackle spraying oil from her black throat as the oil shifted transforming into an oozing black version of Hagartha's body.   
"Clever girl thinks she can play games with Hagartha, thinks she can fool Hagartha! Not so clever is she Hagartha no, no, not so clever!"   
She gave another loud cackle before the oil around her formed into sharp spikes and lashed out at Sheeva. But with the precision of a bat multiple exploding knives destroyed the substance before it was even half way there and faster than the eye could follow another set of them left Barbara's hands heading straight for Hagartha. The witch threw up some more of the oil to protect herself from the explosion cackling madly but her cackle turned to a shriek when the exploding knives instead began to freeze her in place she struggled to return to a liquid form and escape but her plan was predicted and before she had moved a foot Barbara had moved forward and with a final release of knives completely froze the old witch Barbara leaped into the air before she delivered the final blow landing on her and shattering the ice completely leaving nothing behind.  
Sheeva stared wide eyed as this new creature, this Batgirl examined the ground where Hagartha used to be. 

"We need to go" Batgirl called "she's still alive and probably very angry."

Sheeva nodded mutely and began following behind Batgirl racing toward the center of the city. This time the strrets seemed to unlock for them and they made quick time in less than a minute they were standing in front of the doors at the foot of the tower. 

Batgirl wasted no time and confidently shoved the door open with a loud bang inside was a spiraling staircase leading up to the top.   
"Talk about cliche." Barbara commented she sounded a little dissapointed, but she turned with Sheeva and they began running up the steps to the top, they were running in bounds as fast as they could go until Sheeva was forced to stop as she tried to suck air into her aching lungs. 

Barbara who had gotten ahead raced back and grabbed Sheeva dragging her up behind her. Down below they heard a low thrumming sound as a rush of oil slithered into the tower. Sheeva's eyes opened wider and she scrambled to keep moving faster. 

They couldn't see it yet but they could certaintly hear it, the thrumming that seemed to rattle their bones as it got closer. 

And Barbara cursed because she had run the math in her head Sheeva was moving too slow Hagartha was moving too fast time to fix that. Barbara shot a zipline as far up as it would go grinning when she felt it catch on something and with one hand securely around Sheeva she swung out. The exhilaration Barbara felt was matched by Sheeva's terror as they began racing toward the top. 

Beneath them the oil was flying after them, in the shape of a large black dragon it gave an unearthly roar as it tore through the stairs reaching up to them and Barbara really hoped she was seeing things and not that it's neck was actually getting longer to reach them.

Sheeva screamed louder as the Dragons breath grazed her leg, the black form was speeding up it opened it's mouth large teeth getting sharper as it's moment drew near when at the last moment Barbara sent them both side ways into the staircase and the Dragon flew right past them releasing a terrifying roar before it smashed into the ceiling the oil just compressed on the ceiling before the Dragons head came out of it mashing and smashing the stairs and Barbara and Sheeva narrowly avoided it each time. A flurry of knives and bombs kept flying from Barbara's hands but no matter what she threw it didn't seem to be having any effect on it. There was too much to blow away she'd need a much bigger explosion,  
Barbara took a few steps back eyeing the edge, Sheeva glanced between her and the Dragon  
"What are you doing?" Sheeva asked, she was afraid she already knew the answer to that.   
"Back in a sec. Don’t die ok." 

There was no grin to Barbara's face when she said that no arrogance no bravado just an easy determination.   
She ran forward and threw herself over the empty pit and the Dragon seeing her hanging helplessly took it's chance and lunged forward for the kill a grin in it's dark features.  
Barbara flipped around and released five knives at it and expecting a trap the Dragon easily bent around them letting all of them hit the ceiling harmlessly. 

Of course the Dragon avoiding them was the trap. 

The knives exploded destroying the ceiling the pieces of it falling down and destroying the Dragon from the bottom up Barbara shot out her zip line and raced past the furious monster as it screeched and fell all the way to the bottom. Barbara landed gracefully beside Sheeva and turned to take in what was left of the ceiling aside from a few cracked edges there was now a skylight where there was once a roof.   
And sitting peacefullly floating just above the roof was the snowglobe. Sheeva started talking excitedly wringing her hands out still not quite believing what Barbara had done and wondering if that's now what La'gaan had to do. 

Barbara just tuned her out the last time she listened to her it got them stuck here, this time she was gonna smash that stupid globe.

 

The base  
Conner felt different not a bad different but not a good one either, it felt like someone just lifted a wieght off of him he didn't know he was carrying and from the way La'gaan was shifting on his feet was anything to go by he felt wierd too. 

It wasn't a new feeling but everything about the world seemed different, more gray. Conner wasn't sure what that meant exactly but he liked the way it sounded in his head so he smiles.  
"Hey, Barbra and Sheeva say they need to talk to us they said it was important." La'gaan said, but he's not moving either and then there standing there smiling at eachother because they have a shared secret that no one else does and they feel stupid and happy to keep it. 

They do go eventuallly but as their walking down the hall La'gaan takes a quick look around and when he sees no one he slips his hand into Conners they both pretend he didn't just break his number one rule, they both pretend this is normal for them and why not. They had much stranger things be normal before.

Of course it all goes to hell right around there.  
Magic spells mind manipulations and emotional tampering. And a lot of stressed screaming.   
La’gaan hates Sheeva in that moment and he truthfully doesn’t care why she did it. Doesn’t even want to hear it, he shoves past her when she tries to stop him and he leaves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was hard for me to write this and even though I chose everything I’m not super pleased with the ending. I have everything I want to happen ready to go but it’s hard sometimes to bridge what you want with what you have isn’t it??!?!?

**Author's Note:**

> So I wrote this a while ago and then multiple out of story life events made me sad and mad and I stopped writing and I’m not happy that I did that because I love to write even when it’s as awful as this. So I guess I’m saying that I will continue to write this and I have actually hooked out 9 chapters in advance of this 10 story epilogue I may adjust some small things but I’m happy with it as is. I hope you at least enjoy it even if it’s onky to make fun of it!!!!


End file.
